Local News

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.

Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley released reports from court held in Dent County Monday in front of Judge Kelly Parker. Curley stated that Matthew Doyle of Salem pled guilty to two counts of failing to register as a sex offender. Judge Parker sentenced Doyle to 14 years in the Department of Corrections under RSMO Section 559.115 with a 120-day shock incarceration. Also on Monday, Tristan Dubois of Salem pled guilty to three counts of felony possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced by Judge Parker to seven years suspended execution of sentence with five years of probation and parole. Prosecutor Curley requested a Section 559-115 Institutional Treatment Program to address the substance abuse problem. Judge Parker ordered Dubois to complete the CORE program in southwest Missouri. In another case on Monday, Jimmy Govreau pled guilty to forging a money order. Judge Parker sentenced Govreau to a suspended imposition of his sentence with five years supervision, restitution is to be made and Govreau was to have no contact with the victim.

The Salem Police Department has released the following reports. On Saturday morning, October 10th at about 11:50, an officer was dispatched to Mobil for a report of someone leaving without paying for fuel. It was reported that a man had pumped $35.28 worth of gas and did not pay for it. Contact was later made with the subject and due to the police investigation a 23-year old Salem man was arrested and issued a summons. Then on Tuesday morning, October 13th around 9:26, officers were dispatched to the 1500 block of South McArthur for a report someone living in unsafe conditions. Contact was made with the subjects in question. One subject, a 40-year-old Salem female, had an active warrant for her arrest. She was taken to the Dent County Jail and was incarcerated. On Thursday morning, October 15th, at approximately 8:00, officers were dispatched to the 1500 block of East Roosevelt for a report of a male being there that had an active warrant for his arrest. Contact was made with a 45-year-old Salem male who had four active warrants for his arrest. The male was taken into custody without incident and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. That same afternoon near 2:33, an officer was dispatched to the Salem High School for a report of a theft. It was reported that a lock box containing approximately $500 in cash was stolen. Video surveillance of the incident was reviewed, and this incident is under investigation. If you have any information about an ongoing investigation, contact the Salem Police at (573) 729-4242.

The Missouri Department of Conservation reminds hunters, meat processors, taxidermists, and others of new regulations now in effect regarding transporting deer, elk, and other cervid carcasses into Missouri and within the state, and of new regulations on cervid-carcass-disposal requirements for meat processors and taxidermists. The new regulations of the Wildlife Code of Missouri are part of Conservation Department’s ongoing efforts to slow the spread of the deadly disease called Chronic Wasting Disease which affects deer, elk, and other members of the deer family, called cervids. Regulation changes for hunters who harvest deer in Missouri from a Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone county are that the deer must be telechecked before any parts of the carcass may be transported out of the county of harvest. Whole carcasses and heads of deer harvested in Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone counties may only be transported out of the county of harvest if the carcass is delivered to a licensed meat processor and/or taxidermist within 48 hours of exiting the county of harvest. There are a number of regulations that have changed for hunters bringing deer and other cervids into Missouri from another state. There are also regulation changes for taxidermists and meat processors. The Conservation Department will again offer statewide voluntary CWD sampling and testing of harvested deer during the entire deer season at select locations throughout the state. It will also be mandatory for CWD sampling for hunters who harvest deer in counties of the CWD Management Zone on November 14th and 15th. Any changes to mandatory sampling requirements due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will be posted at mdc.mo.gov/cwd and be available from regional offices. Get more information on the regulation changes and other CWD information for fall deer hunting, including a map of the CWD Management Zone, from MDC’s 2020 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations & Information booklet, available where permits are sold and online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/.

Union Electric Company d/b/a Ameren Missouri has filed an application with the Missouri Public Service Commission seeking an Accounting Authority Order (AAO) authorizing it to track and defer, in a regulatory asset, all extraordinary costs and certain foregone revenues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This AAO request applies to Ameren Missouri’s provision of natural gas service to its Missouri customers. Applications to intervene and participate in this case must be filed no later than November 10th with the Secretary of the Missouri Public Service Commission at P.O. Box 360, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102-0360. Individual citizens wishing to comment should contact either the Office of the Public Counsel by calling (866) 922-2959, or the Public Service Commission Staff at 1-800-392-4211. The Office of the Public Counsel is a separate state agency that represents the general public in matters before the Commission. Ameren Missouri provides natural gas service to approximately 132,350 customers in 25 Missouri counties including Dent, Phelps and Gasconade counties in this area.

The City of Salem Park and Recreation Department and Salem Holiday Committee are looking for churches, businesses, organizations and even private individuals that would like to set up an illuminated holiday display inside the Salem City Park starting the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Contact Melissa Dubois for more information at 573-729-6290. These displays would be for Salem’s first drive through light display in the park that would be scheduled to be from November 25th through January 1st.

The Friends of the Salem Public Library will be meeting on Monday, November 2nd at 12:00 noon in the Salem Library basement at the corner of 4th and Jackson Streets. All members are urged to attend.

OOPS! In Monday’s Your World Today, the phone number to call the nurse when you arrive at the Salem Memorial District Hospital Family Medicine on Highway 72 North for your flu shots was incorrect. The number should have been 739-1934. When you call the nurse, give them your name and phone number. Remember to park in the marked areas on the side of the Physician Office Building #3 for your flu shot. This service will end this Friday. We apologize for the error.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated that grading would be done on Dent County Road 5600 better know as the Turtle loop. He said a crew would be processing downed limbs from a tree on county road 2450 and would cut it into furnace size wood to be used at the shop for heating. He said brush would be cut on county road 2430 and 2440 and a man would be hauling materials from the quarry to stock pile at the Road and Bridge Department for emergencies. Purcell also reported he attended the tourism tax commission meeting last Monday where they approved seven requests for reimbursement. He also said that on Tuesday last week, he attended the South Central Missouri Community Action Agency meeting in Winona. Purcell said the fiscal year for the agency began on October 1st and all funds have been fully funded. This includes the LIHEAP program, weatherization and housing assistance. There is income guidelines associated with these programs and for more information, people should call Sara at 729-3500. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated that materials were being added, and chip and seal work was being done on Dent County Road 3240. He went on to say brush was being cut on county roads 5240 and 5245 and the low water bridge work on Dent County Road 3180 has been completed as the work was not as extensive as first thought. He said a crew would be out cleaning out pipes for the anticipated rainfall. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said the county has received three CARES ACT requests for reimbursement. They are from Manthey Rentals for $21,089.40, Dent-Phelps R-3 School for $739.27 and from the Salem R-80 School for $27,742.65. Skiles stated that there is still $1,180,000 dollars remaining in the CARES Act. To get more information on how to apply for assistance or for questions about the CARES Act funding, please contact the MRPC and speak with Kelly Sink or Eva Voss at 573-265-2993. Skiles said he would be attending the Health Insurance Consortium meeting this week in Springfield. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said absentee voting continues in her office through 5:00 On Monday, November 2nd. She said her office would be open this Saturday from 8:00 in the morning until noon for those who would like to absentee vote. She said the polls will be open on November 3rd from 6:00 in the morning until 7:00 in the evening and don’t forget to bring an ID, which could be a driver’s license, voter registration card, electric bill, etc. Also if you need to make an address change or name change to your voter registration, please do so now so that it will save time at the polls next Tuesday. Curley wants to remind the public that there will be no electioneering within 25 feet of the polls and that includes T-Shirts, hats, buttons, flyers, etc., plus don’t forget to use social distancing. If you have any questions, call the Dent County Clerk’s office at 729-4144. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams presented the CART fund receipts for this October as $61,264.88 was received compared to $61,515.22 for October of 2019. Year-to-date, the CART funds are down $28,602.17 which is down about 4.9%. The Commissioner went over bids for oil changes to the Dent County Sheriff’s Department vehicles. Bids were received from Hubbs Tire Center, Terrills Complete Auto Care, American Automotive and Towing, and Whitaker Auto Body. The commissioners referred the bids to the sheriff for a final decision. The board also opened bids for performing an audit for the 2020 year. The board received one bid from Devereux and Company out of St. Charles for a maximum price of $13,500. The commission postponed making any decision on the audit until a future meeting to see if an audit will actually be necessary because of the CARES Act funding. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened on Interstate 44 in Phelps County near the 186 mile marker Monday morning at 7:14. The report released from the highway patrol states that a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado being driven by 25-year old Hannah Toothaker of Vichy, was changing lanes and struck a 2018 Ford F-650 being driven by 49-year old Christy Anderson of Las Vegas, Nevada. Toothaker was transported to Phelps Health in Rolla for treatment of moderate injuries. The report states that Toothaker was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Silverado was totaled and removed from the scene by Ron Dishman’s Towing. The Ford had minor damage and was driven from the scene.

The City of Salem Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustments will hold a meeting tonight at 6:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers at 202 North Washington. At the meeting, the board will hear a request for a setback variance for a shed built at 507 East Roosevelt. The owner of the property is Tom McCracken. The meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Family Medicine on Highway 72 North will continue to offer drive-up flu shots through this Friday from 8:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon for current SMDH Family Medicine patients. You are asked to please park in the marked areas on the side of Physicians Office Building #3. Once you arrive, please call 739-19354 and give the nurse your name and phone number.

The Dent County Health Center will be offering a drive-thru flu shot clinic this Thursday at the Dent County Fire Station at #2 South Main Street for those six months of age and older. They will bill most insurance companies so have your insurance card available. They can also bill Medicare and Children’s Medicaid. The Dent County Health Center will provide FREE flu shots for uninsured children and adults. High dose flu shots will be available for those 65 and older. The clinic will be held from 11:00 in the morning until 5:30 in the afternoon. If you have any questions about the flu vaccine or the drive-thru clinic, please call the Dent County Health Center at 729-3106. No appointments are needed.

The Missouri Department of Conservation is accepting applications through November 13th for the Missouri Outdoor Recreational Access Program (MRAP). The MRAP program provides incentive payments and habitat improvement help to private landowners who open their properties to the public for walk-in hunting, fishing, or wildlife viewing. The recreation allowed on each property varies according to the public access option selected by the participating landowner. MRAP access types include all access hunting and fishing, small game and turkey hunting, youth only hunting and fishing, archery hunting, fishing only, or wildlife viewing. Offered lands must meet eligibility requirements such as being at least 40 contiguous acres or at least a one-acre pond for fishing access. Wildlife viewing properties must be at least five contiguous acres and located within highly-populated counties. Land must also contain minimum amounts of quality wildlife habitat such as native grass fields, crop-field buffers, restored wetlands, or managed woodlands. There are currently more than 50 properties enrolled in the program, representing over 13,000 acres of wildlife habitat available to the public. Expansion of MRAP is possible through a new grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. MDC has received $2.2 million in funding this year, double the previous grant that allowed current MRAP properties to enroll. The standard commitment period to participate in the program is three years. The annual payment rates are determined by factors such as the access type selected by the landowner and the amount of quality habitat available. Most landowners can typically expect to earn $15-$25 an acre, per year. Landowners interested in boosting their annual payment can implement habitat improvements on their land. To find out more on how to apply to the MRAP program, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Zcs.

The Missouri Department of Conservation is reporting that our area is in it’s peak color right now. The landscape is stunning and beautiful. The Ozark hillsides are now awash in almost every color imaginable. All the colors of the spectrum are represented: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet. Reds have been most notable in black gum, sumacs, and Virginia creeper. Orange has been the dominant color of sassafras and some maples recently. (If you are fortunate enough to have a maple in your yard you may have noticed that the side exposed to the sun is a little more vibrant.) Yellow is common on black walnut, mulberry, pawpaw, and hickories. Greens, of course, dominated throughout the growing season. Now, however, and through the winter months until leaves emerge in spring, the green tops of shortleaf pine and eastern red cedar will decorate hillsides and valleys. Dogwood leaves are also a special treat, spanning the entire width of cyan, blue, and violet color all on the same tree! Taken together, and with the recent cool nighttime temperatures and a little rainfall, this next week should be the peak viewing time. Get out and enjoy nature!