Local News

The 2020 Honoring our Heroes Marathon will be held Saturday, November 21st and this year will offer the full marathon, half marathon, the marathon relay, 10k and 5k runs. The marathon and marathon relay will begin at 7:00 in the morning at the Dent County Commons while the half marathon will begin at Lake Spring at 8:00 in the morning. The route those runners will be going will mostly be on Highway 72 then to Lions Club Drive and then finish in the Lions Club Park. The 10k and 5k runs will be mostly at the Rolla Lions Club Park with the 10k diverting to the Veteran’s Park in Rolla before coming back to the Lions Club Park, and they will start at 8:00 in the morning. Registration for the marathon and half marathon will end Saturday. The cost to register for the full marathon is $95 and there are seven openings left, the cost to register for the half marathon is $50 and there are five spaces left. The marathon relay is already full. The cost for the 10k run is $55 and $40 for the 5k run. Those races will increase in cost by $5.00 after November 18th. There are unlimited spaces available for the 10k and 5k runs. This year, there are also virtual races that you can sign up for where you run the races when you want where ever you want. You can also sign up to volunteer to help out at the event. This year’s Pasta Party is already sold out due to the COVID-19 restrictions on the number of people that can congregate and it will start at 5:00. The party will be lived streamed for those who cannot attend from the Honoring our Heroes website with the speakers starting at 5:30. For more information or to sign up, please visit https://www.heroesmarathon.com.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to remind the public that driver examination stations throughout the state will be closed on today in observance of Veterans Day. Normal operations will resume on Thursday, November 12th. Examinations stations will also be closed on Thursday, November 26th and Friday, November 27th in observance of Thanksgiving. Normal operations will resume on Monday, November 30th. Follow the Missouri State Highway Patrol on Twitter @MSHPTrooperGHQ

The Missouri Department of Conservation reminds hunters not to forget their hunter orange before heading out the door for opening weekend of firearms deer season starting this Saturday and lasting through Tuesday, November 24th. Hunters must wear a hunter orange hat and a hunter orange vest, shirt, or coat. The color must be visible from all sides. Camouflage orange does not satisfy this rule. Hunter orange clothing makes it easier for one hunter to spot and recognize another hunter because nothing in nature matches this color exactly. Hunters must wear hunter orange if they are hunting any species of game during firearms deer season. Hunters must also wear orange if they are hunting on an area that is having a managed firearms deer hunt, or they are serving as a mentor to another hunter during firearms deer season or while on an area that is having a managed firearms deer hunt. Hunters must also wear orange if they were selected for the elk firearms season that will be held December 12th through the 20th. The late youth portion of deer season will be Friday, November 27th through Sunday, November 29th, followed by the antlerless portion from Friday, December 4th through Sunday, December the 6th. Finally, the alternative methods portion for deer will be Saturday, December 26th through Tuesday, January 5th, 2021. Hunters can find more information about hunting seasons at https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov or by reading MDC’s 2020 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations & Information booklet at https://short.mdc.mo.gov.

The Salem Police Department has released some reports. On Saturday morning, October 24th at around 9:37, an officer was dispatched to the 800 block of west Highway 32 for a report of a female who appeared to be impaired and slumped over the drivers’ seat. Contact was made and she was showing signs of impairment. During a consent search items used in the consumption of narcotics were located. As a result, a 28-year-old Salem woman was arrested and placed on a 24-hour hold pending the application of warrants. On Sunday morning, October 25th at about 2:00 in the morning, an officer conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle exceeding the posted speed limit. Upon further investigation, it was found that the driver appeared to be intoxicated. As a result, a 28-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while being intoxicated. He was released on a summons. During the afternoon of Tuesday, October 27th around 1:52, an officer was on routine traffic patrol and noticed a female that he knew to have an active warrant for her arrest. The warrant was confirmed and the 38-year-old Salem woman was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. During the evening of October 28th near 9:22, an officer was dispatched to an accident where the driver had fled the scene. During the investigation, the driver was later located passed out behind the wheel near the intersection of Highway 72 and Route J. As a result, a 40-year-old Salem woman was arrested and placed on a 12-hour hold at the Dent County Jail. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. In the road report, 1st District Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5080, 5380 and 6040. He went on to report materials would be added to Dent County Road 6670 as work crews will be installing three new crossover pipes in preparation of the FLAP project work that is to be done. Another crew will be replacing a crossover pipe on Dent County Road 6630. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson indicated that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2590 and 4430 while materials would be added to county roads 3200 and 5340. Larson said brush would be cut on county roads 2370 and 6140 and service would be done on county truck #76. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported he went with 143rd State Representative Elect Ron Copeland to Boss to view feral hog damage to a farm there. Skiles said he would be attending the PHA Board meeting and MRPC Board meeting Thursday evening by conference call due to a couple of active COVID-19 cases at MRPC. He also said the county received several CARES Act applications that will be reviewed. Skiles also discussed with the commission approving the bid from Devereux and Company of $13,500 to perform a financial audit for the 2020 year as necessitated by the CARES Act money the county received. It was approved. Skiles said they will bill that this December so that it can be paid for out of the CARES Act fund. He also said there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday for the opening of the new gymnasium at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 4:30 and an open house from 4:00 to 5:30. Dent County Collector Angie Curley stated the election went fairly smooth in Dent County with 73 plus percent of the registered voters casting their ballot. She said she balanced with the collector and assessor on collections, add-ons and abatements for the month of October. The commissioner then discussed health care insurance for the county employees for the 2021 year. Curley said the consortium went with the United Health Care bid that was lower than the Cox Health bid. Currently, the county pays $573 per month per employee with a $3,500 deductible. The county will pay $2,000 of their deductible once the employee meets their portion of it. The new rate will be $633 per month per employee and the deductible will be $4,500. The county will pick up $2,000 of the deductible once the employee meets their portion of it. The increased base cost to the county from the rate increase will be about $57,600. The county would also offer deductibles of $3,000 and $6,000 available for employees if they wish to pay the difference. The commission approved the new insurance rates and all employees of the county will have to fill out new paperwork for the United Health Care insurance. Curley reminded the commissioners the courthouse would be closed on Wednesday and they are also going to have a salary commission meeting Thursday afternoon at 1:30 at the courtroom in the Judicial Building. Commissioner Purcell reported he was asked to serve on the Corridor Advisory Team on a study being done by MoDOT on replacing the Sinking Creek and Spring Valley bridges on Highway 19 south. They will have their first meeting in December with the consulting firm, Hg Consult out of Kansas City, and then have a follow up meeting in December 2021 to go over alternatives to the bridge replacement. Once that would be determined, public meetings would be held to get feedback from the general public. The commission then opened bids to purchase a used truck for the Road and Bridge Department and received only one bid from Chafin Auto Sales that had eight different vehicles listed. The commission made no decision at the meeting as they will have to check out all the trucks listed. At the last meeting, the commission approved the Hazard Mitigation Memorandum from the MRPC about their renewal which will come due in 2023. The commission also received picture of the courthouse from Scenic Rivers Industries. The commissioners did approve six CARES act requests. The requests came from the Salem R-80 School for $6,908.04 and $7,145.49, the Salem Memorial District Hospital was pre-approved for $29,440, Green Forest R-2 received $5,081.82 and Oak Hill R-1 was approved for $13,742.95 and pre-approved for $14,134.40. The next meeting will be held Monday at the courthouse at 9:00 and the commission meetings are open to the public.

An accident happened Sunday night shortly after 11:00 in Crawford County on Route ZZ about four miles west of Cuba. According to the report from the highway patrol, a 2020 GMC Terrain being driven by 72-year old Theresa Kosulandich of Rolla was westbound and struck a deer in the roadway. Both the driver and a passenger, 74-year old Nicholas Kosulandich, also of Rolla, suffered minor injuries and sought their own treatment. The GMC sustained extensive damage and was towed by Big Boys Towing.

An accident happened Monday morning at 7:30 in Shannon County on old Highway 60 in Birch Tree. According to the report from the highway patrol, a 2020 Toyota Highlander being driven east by a 16-year old female juvenile of Birch Tree was stopped at a crosswalk. A 7-year old pedestrian at the crosswalk made eye contact with the driver and as the driver of the Toyota released the brakes the pedestrian ran into the vehicle. The 7-year old suffered minor injuries and was transported by Shannon County EMS to Ozarks Medical Center for treatment.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Salem has set the date of Saturday, December 5th for the Christmas parade to beginning at 5:30. The parade will begin at SBU and wind its way to the courthouse. The theme this year will be “Favorite Christmas Movie”. Businesses, organizations, and individuals that would like to have an entry in the parade will need to return the entry form that is available at the Chamber of Commerce office at 200 South Main Street no later than December 2nd. For more information you can email the Chamber office at chamber@salemmo.com or call the 729-6900.

An accident occurred Saturday evening at 7:18 on Route W about three miles north of Highway 32 in Dent County. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 GMC Sierra driven by 38-year old Joshua Gately of Salem was traveling southbound. The GMC traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree. Gately suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Salem Memorial District Hospital by EMS. He was wearing a safety restraint at the rime of the accident. The GMC was totaled and removed from the scene by family.

Landowners and renters can learn about farm leases from University of Missouri Extension specialists 6:00 to 9:00 tomorrow evening. Participants in our area can attend through Zoom. Topics include current rental rates and trends, items to include in a lease, terminating a lease, recreational leases, and crop and livestock share arrangements. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service publishes average cash rental rates for farm, forage and pasture ground each September. The MU Extension studies these rates every three years. Ten MU Extension offices will be open for those who wish to attend in person or do not have reliable internet access. The closest location to Salem will be West Plains. With CDC guidelines in place, in-person class sizes are limited. Instructors at each site will provide an opportunity for attendees to interact with presenters. For details and registration, go to extension.missouri.edu and search for “farm lease.”

The Missouri Department of Conservation encourages deer hunters who will have their deer professionally processed to check with meat processors about their availability to process deer this fall. Some meat processors around the state are reporting higher-than-normal business and may not be accepting deer for processing or will have significant delays in processing deer. Hunters wanting to donate to Share the Harvest are also encouraged to check with their local meat processors as some are not participating in the program this year. Get more information on Share the Harvest online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/

Ozark National Scenic Riverways is seeking public input on the park’s draft Accessibility Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan. Public participation is an important part of the planning process and will help Ozark National Scenic Riverways become more accessible for all visitors. An interdisciplinary team of planners, facility specialists, and landscape architects produced the plan to help Ozark National Scenic Riverways improve park-wide accessibility. In creating the plan, the team identified the key experiences that every visitor, regardless of their ability, should be able to have at the park. This helped set the stage for identifying and prioritizing where key experiences could be found. After performing the assessment, the team developed strategies and solutions to address accessibility barriers. The final plan will guide changes to the way existing services, activities, and programs are provided to increase accessibility for all users. The draft Accessibility Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan will be available online for public review and comment at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ozar. Comments must be received no later than November 19, 2020. Comments may be submitted online or will be accepted through the mail to: Ozark National Scenic Riverways; Attn: SETP comments; P. O. Box 490; Van Buren, Missouri 63965. When commenting, please consider these questions: Does the plan capture the accessibility barriers present in the park and are the recommended solutions appropriate and comprehensive? The National Park Service values your interest in Ozark National Scenic Riverways, and we look forward to your participation in this planning process. For more information, contact Dena Matteson at (573) 323-4814 or dena_matteson@nps.gov.

Missouri State Parks today announced eight Missouri communities have been selected to receive more than $1 million in federal grants from the Federal Highway Administration to assist with the development of trails. The grants are part of the Recreational Trails Program, which can be used to develop, acquire and restore recreational trails and trailhead facilities. Locally, Recreational Trails Program recommended grant recipients, along with the projects and grant amounts include the city of Winona, Lions Club Park Recreation Trail: $129,621 and the city of St. James, The St. James-Maramec Iron Works Bike Path Restroom Facility: $25,000. For more information on Recreational Trails Program grants, contact mspgrants@dnr.mo.gov. For more information on Missouri state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The City of Salem Park and Recreation Department and Salem Holiday Committee is still looking for churches, businesses, organizations and even private individuals that would like to set up an illuminated holiday display inside the Salem City Park for the first ever drive-through light display for the Christmas holidays. The drive-through would begin on the Friday AFTER Thanksgiving. These displays would be scheduled to be open from November 27th through January 1st. Contact Melissa Dubois for more information at 573-729-6290 or to sign up.

An accident happened on Thursday afternoon, October 29th shortly before 4:00 at the intersection of Highway 19 and Truman. The report from the Salem Police Department states that a 2001 Ford F-250 being driven by Kelley Rector of Salem and owned by Ronald Lewis of Salem, was traveling southbound on Highway 19 approaching Truman Street. The Ford had stopped in traffic and was signaling to turn left. At that time, a 2001 Dodge Ram 3500 being driven by Tyler Harrison of Salem and owned by Jannelle Harrison of Salem, was also traveling south on Highway 19 approaching Truman. Harrison stated he looked down for a moment and then realized the Ford was stopped. The Dodge then started to skid on the wet road surface and struck the Ford from behind. A passenger in the Dodge suffered probable minor injuries but refused medical treatment. Harrison suffered probable minor injuries and was transported by a private vehicle to the Salem Memorial District Hospital for evaluation and treatment. The Dodge had moderate damage and the Ford had minor damage. The report states that the crash was not investigated at the scene.

The Dent County Fire Protection Board of Directors met Tuesday evening at the fire station. After approval of the consent agenda, minutes from the October meeting were reviewed and approved as presented. The board then heard the financial report with bills being presented and approved. The budget showed an ending balance of $136,466.49 as of October 31st. The Calendar was then reviewed before the hearing of the monthly reimbursement report. The department had a total of 20 calls for the month of October including four structure fires, one flu fire, three brush fires, five first responder calls, three vehicle accidents, two training calls and two listed as other. Total calls year to date stand at 201 with the average cost per call of $117.15. Chief Nash reported that the building project is still ongoing with the ceiling tiles and lights being replaced. The front room and the kitchen are now complete. The date for the next meeting was set for Tuesday, December 1st at 6:00 at the fire station at #2 South Main Street. That meeting will be open to the public.

An audit of Edgar Springs found numerous problems with the city’s accounting controls and procedures, as well as other operations of city government. State Auditor Nicole Galloway conducted the audit at the request of residents who submitted a petition to her office. The report gave a rating of “poor.” Galloway said the audit of Edgar Springs found several significant concerns, including incomplete budgets and inaccurate financial statements. These are serious issues that impact transparency for citizens on how their taxpayer dollars are used and went on to say that city officials need to address and implement the recommendations in the audit in order to get on the right track. The audit found city officials did not prepare complete annual budgets as required by state law or monitor budgets appropriately. City officials also did not prepare and maintain accurate financial statements and accounting records, resulting in errors on monthly financial statements. In addition, city officials did not publish complete and accurate financial statements or file accurate and timely financial reports with the State Auditor’s Office, as required by state law. The audit also found several concerns with accounting controls and procedures in the operation of the city’s sewer system, including how rates are determined and how deposits, adjustments and delinquent accounts are handled. The city also needs to segregate accounting duties and improve receipting and depositing procedures to safeguard monies collected, and to improve procedures over disbursements. In addition, the audit found the city does not have a bidding policy to ensure taxpayers get the best deal for services. For example, the city did not solicit bids or document the process for selecting a vendor that completed street and building repairs funded through federal grants and totaling more than $37,000. The audit also found city officials did not always comply with the Sunshine Law. In March, after city hall was closed to the public due to COVID-19, the former Mayor directed the city clerk to only process and bill sewer payments. In June, the former Mayor resigned and the city clerk resumed responding to records requests.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released the following reports. On Tuesday, October 17th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at Highway 68 and Dent County Road 3260. During the course of the traffic stop, a 33-year-old Salem man was arrested for having an active warrant through Dent County and driving while having his license revoked or suspended, a 1st offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted and issued a summons. The man later posted bond on the Dent County warrant and was released. On Thursday, October 19th, a deputy observed a 40-year-old Salem man in the parking lot of the Dent County Jail. The deputy knew the man to have an active warrant through Dent County. The man was arrested and taken to the Dent County Jail. On Monday the 23rd, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at Shawnee Mac Conservation Area. During the course of the traffic stop, a 43-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. Then on Wednesday the 25th, a deputy responded to a residence in the 3500 block of Route W for an ambulance assist. During the course of the incident, a 45-year-old Salem man was arrested for having an active warrant through Phelps County and Pulaski County. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. If anyone has any information about an ongoing investigation, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

The Salem Police department has released the following reports. On the morning of October 17th at approximately 8:20 an officer was dispatched to the 200 block of east Truman Street for a report of property damage. It was reported that a vehicle parked there had the tires slashed and the windshield broken. It was estimated that the damage to the vehicle was $1,440. This incident is under investigation. That same evening at approximately 10:00 an officer was dispatched to the 1200 block of West Franklin for a report of a person slumped over the wheel. Contact was made with the driver of the vehicle and during the investigation it was found the driver was under the influence. As a result of the investigation a 39 year-old Salem female was arrested and issued a summons for DWI and child endangerment as the female had a 6 year-old female juvenile in the vehicle with her. The next day during the afternoon of October 18th at around 12:30 an officer was dispatched to the 600 block of East Fourth for a report of a stolen motor vehicle. The victim reported that she was contacted by the Highway Patrol about her car being involved in an accident in Crawford County. She stated that last that she knew the car was at her residence was 9:00 the night before. The car was towed and held for the victim. This incident is under investigation. During the afternoon of the 19th just after 4:00 an officer was dispatched to the 800 block of East Missouri highway 32 for a well being check. As a result of the investigation a female was seen to be passed out in her vehicle. Contact was made with the female and a strong odor of Marijuana was detected. A subsequent search of the vehicle located suspected marijuana and methamphetamine. The female, a 47 year-old Salem resident, was arrested and issued summons for possession of a controlled substance. On Tuesday morning October 20th around 10:53 an officer was dispatched to the 300 block of east Second Street for a report of two females possibly using drugs in a shed. Contact was made with the females and no drug activity was located. One of the females did have an active warrant for her arrest out of the Phelps County Sheriffs Office. As a result, the 40 year-old Salem female was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail awaiting extradition. Later that same day around 1:00 in the afternoon an officer was dispatched to the 1000 block of Craig Industrial Drive for a report of a theft. It was reported that approximately $450 worth of tools had been stolen. This incident is still under investigation. Later that same night at 8:43 an officer contacted a 26 year-old Rolla man that had an active warrant for his arrest. The warrant was confirmed, and the male was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail awaiting extradition. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

A General Election was held Tuesday nationally to determine a number of state and national offices as well as number of county offices. In Dent County, 7,224 ballots were cast which comes to 73.27% of registered voters cast their ballot. Only the locally contested races directly affecting Dent County are presented here. These results are unofficial. * Denotes winner

Dent County Commissioner-District One

Wes Mobray* (Repub) 2,416 votes
Larry Lundy (Dem) 1,056 votes

Dent County Commissioner-District Two

Gary Larson* (Repub) 2,596 votes
Tom Welch (Dem) 740 votes
Kourt Gustav Tiefenthaler (Lib) 140 votes

US Representative District 8
(All counties reported)

Jason Smith* (Repub) 253,646 votes
Kathy Ellis (Dem) 70,504 votes
Tom Schmitz (Lib) 5,846 votes

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen met in the Bank of Salem Courtesy Room Monday night. Teresa Stark of 1203 South Washington says her neighbor has two big dogs, a pit bull and lab and she is afraid they will get into her yard and hurt her smaller dog. She also said that the tenant of the house constantly burns when winds are high and the flames occasionally climb higher than the home. He also has a disabled camper in his yard. Police Chief Joe Chase said he addressed the issues with the owner of the property and now has met with the tenant about violation of city ordinances. He has five business days to show he is trying to address the violations. Samara Dozier of 1506 South Main asked the Board of Aldermen to provide her with a written permit for her mini pigs. She said she has four mini pigs for now and she has two large dogs. City Ordinances prohibit swine in the city unless the Alderman gave her permission to have the pigs. The board postponed any decision on this until they can investigate this further and get a legal opinion. The board approved the bid from Municipal Equipment Company out of St. Louis for $27,810 for a grinder pump station equipment package for the Highway 72 and Route J Sewer Project. Mary Happel reported on the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting held October 20th and said they recommended the approval of the subdivision of part of the Master’s Industrial Park with Tract A being 2.9 acres, Tract B being five acres and Tract C being 25 acres. They also discussed the subdivision of the lots of 712 North Hickory and 713 North Oak and the movement of the property line. That issue was sent to the Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustment for their recommendation. Administrator Ray Walden gave his report and said the on-going renovation work at the City Administrative Building was delayed a couple of weeks waiting on materials. The renovation should be completed by November 16th. Walden said a video was posted to the City of Salem Facebook page on Friday that explained the AMI system, the utility billing and also gave an update on the city hall auditorium improvements. Walden said he is going to get with Everything Cinema to try to get the theatre project completed. Public Works Director Mark Nash said the city replaced 44 water meters and those bills will be out no later than today day. Nash said electric meters from 911-1027 cannot be read by Incode and they need to be updated with a new download from Incode. This can’t be done until after the billing cycle is complete. Walden also said the city offices would be closed on Wednesday, November 11th. The board then approved Bill #3465 that allowed for the subdivision of the Masters Industrial Park as recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission. The meeting was then adjourned.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that young hunters ages 6 through 15 harvested 15,591 deer during Missouri’s early youth portion of the 2020 deer hunting season on October 31st and November 1st. Top counties were Franklin with youth hunters harvesting 336 deer, Howell with 324, and Osage with 320. Locally, Texas County harvested 277 deer, Reynolds County had 227 deer taken, Dent County had 224 deer harvested, Shannon County had 201 deer taken, Crawford County had 162 deer harvested while Iron County had 102 deer taken. Last year, youth hunters harvested 18,289 deer during the early youth portion. The firearm portion of deer season will begin on November 13th and run through November 25th.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that hunters checked 2,127 turkeys during Missouri’s fall firearms turkey season, October 1st through the 31st. Top harvest counties were Greene with 70 birds harvested, Maries with 58, and Franklin with 55. Dent County had 42 birds taken. Other counties in our area include Crawford with 44, 33 in Phelps, and 45 in Texas county. Hunters harvested 1,953 birds during the 2019 fall firearms turkey season. Fall archery turkey hunting continues through November 13th and resumes November 25th through January 15th, 2021. Get more information about fall turkey hunting from MDC’s 2020 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold and online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov.

The Board of Education of the Salem R-80 School District established a final terms committee consisting of Dr. Lynne Reed, Superintendent, Dustin Howard, Board President, and Larry J. Hart, CEO of L.J. Hart & Company at the regular Salem R-80 Board of Education meeting held on October 15, 2020 by authorizing a resolution for that purpose. The board approved the sale of $3,200,000 General Obligation Refunding Bonds to its municipal bond underwriter, L.J. Hart & Company of St. Louis, within certain reoffering yield ranges. Subsequently on October 29th, the final terms committee authorized the final sale of the refunding bonds with reoffering yields ranging from 0.45% to 1.15% to constitute a new effective interest rate of 0.88%, compared to the average interest rate of 2.30% for the Series 2016 Bonds that are being refunded. The sale of these bonds will help the district reduces the future interest expense by about $123,047 which is an improvement of $16,906 from previous conservative projections at the regular board meeting. It is the result of the extremely strong current municipal bond market that is producing historically low interest rates as well as the good name of the district in the municipal bond credit market. This $123,047 savings plus the approximate savings of $511,592 from a previous refunding means the district has saved about $634,639 of interest expense since 2013. There are three significant factors making the Series 2020 refunding attractive that include the lower interest rates than in 2016, the fact that the Series 2016 Bonds are subject to prepayment at no penalty on March 1, 2021, and the District’s ability to participate in the State of Missouri’s Direct Deposit Program. This program makes it possible for the District to receive a “AA+” rating from S&P Global on the refunding bonds. The refunding bonds were made available to local financial institutions with The Town & Country Bank acquiring $750,000, Progressive Ozark Bank purchasing $500,000, and The Bank of Salem buying $200,000 of the Bonds. The closing for the Series 2020 Refunding Bond issue will be December 9th.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will meet this evening at 7:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers at 202 North Washington. At the meeting, the board will hear from Teresa Stark from 1203 S. Washington Street who is having issues with the neighbor’s dogs and indicates they are burning when they are not supposed to burn. The board will also hear from Samara Dozier from 1506 South Main Street who is requesting a written permit from the Board of Aldermen to keep mini pigs at her home. The board will also hear bids from three companies on a grinder pump station equipment package for the Highway 72 and Route J sewer project. After the consent agenda, the board will hear from Planning and Zoning Committee Chairman Gary Brown about the Planning and Zoning meeting held on October 20th and any recommendations they may have. City Administrator Ray Walden will then provide the board with an update on a number of city projects before the board hears Bill #3465 allows for the subdivision of the Master’s Industrial Park to develop Tract A, B and C. The meeting will then be adjourned. The board of Aldermen meeting is open to the public and they will adhere to social distancing at the meeting.

A Licking resident was involved in a one vehicle accident Thursday afternoon at 2:46 in Phelps County on eastbound I-44 at the 189 mile marker. According to the Highway Patrol Report a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by 26 year-old Keysa Stokes of Licking, traveled off the left side of the roadway. Stokes overcorrected and the Chevy traveled off the right side of the road and struck an embankment. Stokes suffered moderate injuries and was flown to Mercy Hospital in Springfield. The Chevy was totaled and removed from the scene by C & C Towing.

A fatal accident occurred Saturday afternoon at 4:00 in Phelps County on Highway 63 about three miles south of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado driven by 55-year old Thomas Schmuelling of St. Louis was traveling northbound when he traveled across the center of the roadway and struck a 2017 Ford Focus in the side that was traveling southbound driven by 48-year old Shauna Diedrich of Rolla. Then the Silverado struck a 2016 Kia Sorento driven by 40-year old Dawn Kurtti of St. James head on. An occupant of the vehicle 54-year old Melissa M. Schmuelling of St. Louis was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:09 by Phelps County Coroner Andy Davis. Her body was transported to Null and Son Funeral Home in Rolla by the Coroner. Thomas Schmuelling suffered serious injuries and was flown from Phelps Health Rolla to University Hospital in Columbia. Shauna Diedrich suffered serious injuries and was flown from the scene by Air Evac to Cox South Hospital Springfield. An occupant in the Ford Focus, 19-year old Morgan Diedrich of Rolla, suffered minor injuries and was transported by private vehicle to Phelps Health in Rolla. Dawn Kurtti also suffered serious injures and was flown from the scene by Mercy Lifeline to University Hospital Columbia. According to the report all injured parties were wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Chevrolet and the Kia were both totaled and the Focus sustained extensive damage. All three vehicles were removed from the scene by Ron Dishman’s Towing.

Don’t forget that Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday morning at 2:00 AM. At this time of year, you will set clocks back one hour. It is recommended that you do this before going to bed in the evening on Saturday of first thing Sunday morning. It is recommended at this when we recognize Daylight Savings Time to change the battery in your smoke alarms. It also is a good time to replace your furnace filters if you haven’t done so with the changing of the seasons.

Saturday is Halloween and the City of Salem Board of Alderman has established the trick-or-treating hours in the city from 6:00 until 8:00 PM. If you want children to stop by your home, leave your porch light on so they know they are welcome to stop by. Other Halloween options for those who prefer not to go door-to-door this year in the City of Salem will be provided by some businesses, churches and organizations. Those businesses and churches include Lost Treasures where they will have a trunk-or-treat, Allen’s Treasure Chest where they will have trick-or treating, American Automotive and Towing will have an event, the Salem United Methodist Church where they will hold a drive-thru event, J&D Automotive will have an event and Wilson Mortuary will offer trick-or-treating. The Dent County Republican Headquarters at C&E Auto Sales will also be holding a Halloween event in the parking lot. Also Echo Bluff State Park will be holding their Halloween Festival starting at 9:00 Saturday morning, but they will NOT be having their haunted trail as they originally planned Saturday night.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol encourages everyone to have a safe Halloween. Here are some tips they would like to pass along. Give some thought to safety when choosing a costume. Consider make-up rather than masks, since masks can make it difficult to see oncoming traffic. Wear light-colored clothing or add reflective tape to dark costumes to make them visible. Flame resistant costumes are the best ones. Parents, please remind children to approach only familiar houses that are well lighted. Talk with them about never entering a stranger’s house or vehicle. Consider trick-or-treating with your children for their safety and because it’s a fun way to spend an evening. Trick-or-treaters are reminded to watch for traffic while they are out and about this Halloween. Remember to look both ways when crossing the street. Use sidewalks wherever possible when you’re walking around a neighborhood. Increase visibility by using a flashlight, especially after dark. An adult should always accompany small children, and older children should stay in groups. If you are driving, stay extra alert on Halloween. Young children excited by Halloween could dart in front of a vehicle. Slow down, and drive with extra caution. If you are headed to a costume party, make sure the costume doesn’t hamper your vision while you’re driving to the event! Motorists picking up and dropping off trick-or-treaters may result in an increase in the number of vehicles on the road, therefore affecting traffic patterns. Please be courteous and stay alert for trick-or-treaters of all ages. Distracted drivers are dangerous drivers. When you’re driving, keep your eyes on the road, not on your phone! Halloween isn’t just for children. Many adults enjoy dressing up and visiting haunted houses or attending gatherings of friends. If you attend a Halloween party that includes alcohol, make sure you have a sober, designated driver for the trip home. Alcohol, even in small amounts, slows reaction time and dulls the senses. Drinking alcohol could have a sad and possibly deadly result.

The Missouri Department of Conservation is reminding Missourians ages 16 and older they may obtain their hunter-education certification through an all-online format for those wanting to hunt during the firearm deer season. The online option allows Missourians ages 16 and older to complete their certification at their convenience at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The all-online format is available at www.hunter-ed.com/missouri/. The cost of the online certification is $19.95, which is paid to the online provider, not MDC. The all-online option requires the passing of a final exam but has no skills portion. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, in-person hunter-education skills sessions are limited in quantity and capacity. Skills sessions are necessary for anyone ages 11 through 15 to complete their hunter-education certification. Currently, there is only one location that youth can get their hunter education skills tests completed within 100 miles of Salem and that is the Runge Conservation Nature Center in Jefferson City. Only one class remains before the start of the fall firearm season and that will be Tuesday, November 3rd from 5:30 until 8:30 where nine seats are available for that session. You can only register for this class online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov. MDC notes that, unless selected for a managed hunt, youth under the age of 16 are not required to have hunter education certification to hunt with a firearm as long as they hunt in the immediate presence of an adult age 18 or older who is hunter education certified or age exempt during youth season and properly licensed during regular seasons. Learn more about the Missouri Department of Conservation hunter education and certification requirements online at www.mdc.mo.gov/huntereducation.

Captain Eddie A. Blaylock, the commanding officer of Troop I, announced that on Thursday, October 28th, a coordinated effort in Dent County led to several narcotics-related arrests. This effort is a result of a lengthy narcotics investigation conducted by the South-Central Drug Task Force. The arrest teams assisting in these arrests consisted of Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers, officers from the Salem Police Department, and deputies from the Dent County Sheriff’s Department. A total of 15 people were arrested during this operation. They are 35-year old Brandon Terrill of Salem who was arrested on warrants for two counts for the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and is being held on a $100,000 bond; 31-year old Levi Cardwell of Salem who was arrested on warrants for two counts of the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and is being held on an $80,000 bond; 37-year old Sheena Hodge of St. Robert who was arrested on warrants for three counts of the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and is being held on a $60,000 bond; 29-year old Mersadie Mansfield of Salem who was arrested on warrants for two counts of the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and is being held on a $50,000 bond; 39-year old Brian L. Weber of Salem and 31-year old Dennis E. Loughridge of Salem who were arrested on warrants for the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and are being held on $50,000 bond each. More arrests included 51-year old Tabitha Freeman of Salem, 58-year old Ronald D. Breeding of Salem, 34-year old Stephan S. Mock of Salem, 32-year old Brooke L. Bergen of Salem, 41-year old Scott E. Mayberry of Salem, 32-year old Stephanie R. Culberson of Salem and 31-year old Todd W. Harget of Waynesville who were all arrested on warrants for the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and they are all being held on a bond of $30,000. Also arrested were 46-year old Craig Carter of Salem and 54-year old John Frederick of Salem on a warrant for the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and each being held on a $20,000 bond. The South-Central Drug Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional drug task force coordinated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The task force specializes in narcotics-related investigations and is composed of narcotics officers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, Rolla Police Department, Dent County Sheriff’s Department, and Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department. The charges for which these individuals were arrested are mere accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty it will be to determine guilt or innocence.

The Missouri Department of Conservation encourages young hunters to get outdoors and discover nature this weekend for the early portion of youth firearms deer season starting Saturday, October 31st through Sunday, November 1st. Shooting hours run one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. To participate, hunters must be at least 6-years-old and no older than 15-years old on opening day. Valid permits include the Firearms Any-Deer Hunting Permit and the Firearms Antlerless Deer Hunting Permit. Only one deer of either sex may be taken during the early youth portion in accordance with permits held. If a hunter possesses more than one permit, they must use them in another portion. Only one antlered deer may be taken during the entire firearms season (all portions combined). The Department of Conservation notes the the antler-point restriction does not apply to youth hunters using a firearms deer hunting permit during the youth portion. Hunters may take only two antlered deer during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons combined. Each county limits the number of antlerless deer hunting permits you can fill during the entire firearms season. During the youth portions of firearms deer season, adults who accompany youth hunters do not need a deer hunting permit. The adult must be 18 or older and hunter-education certified or born before January 1st, 1967. At all other times, hunters must have a filled or unfilled deer hunting permit to assist others in taking deer. The Department of Conservation reminds hunters the use of bait is illegal while hunting. Bait includes grain or feed placed or scattered to attract deer or turkeys. However, doe urine and other scents may be used to attract deer while hunting, as long as the scents are not used on or with grain or other food products. During the 2019 early youth portion, young hunters harvested 18,158 deer. The late youth portion of firearms deer season will run from Friday, November 27th through Sunday, November 29th. Permits are available at participating locations throughout the state, or online at https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/permits.

Echo Bluff State Park off Highway 19 south will be holding a Halloween Festival all day Saturday starting with a Harvest Bazaar from 9:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon. At 2:00, a Wonder of Wildlife presentation will be held at the amphitheater. From 3:30 to 4:30, you can craft a pumpkin with kits available at the Timbuktu check-in station. Starting at 6:00 will be the Kids Trick or Treat Parade followed by the camper and cabin decorating contest judging. From 7:00 until 9:00, venture down the haunted trails at Echo Bluff if you dare before listening to stories around the fire pit at 8:30 where the awards for the contests will be presented. For more information, check out the Echo Bluff State Park Facebook page or call 855-999-6980.