Local News

The Salem Memorial District Hospital regular board meeting was held Tuesday evening in the Hospital Library as well as through an online conference using Zoom. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas stated the COVID-19 virus and “Stay at Home” order has had a major impact on the summary of operations for the month of April where the hospital had 92 inpatient admissions with 247 inpatient census days. There were 1,204 outpatient registrations, 1,150 cardiopulmonary procedures, 5,818 lab tests, 886 radiology procedures, 501 rehabilitation treatments, no surgeries and 160 home health visits. Lucas said the hospital was able to incorporate some telehealth visits during the month to help some, but the emergency room visits were down to 452 due to the fear of the coronavirus while the visits to SMDH Family Medicine were also impacted negatively. There were a total of 169 ambulance runs in March with 115 patients transported and 53 dry runs. The hospital showed a loss from operations of $683,817, but did receive a non-operational influx of money from the stimulus of $572,018. This led to expenses over revenues after taxes of $105,511. Hospital Administrator Lucas said expenses were up in March due to the construction work, increase in supplies for COVID as well their contractual obligations in nursing, coding and billing services. Lucas said that no one at the hospital has been furloughed yet and his plan is to not do that, but financial circumstances may force the hospital into making those decisions. He did say that the hospital qualified for the Payroll Protection Program which should help keep everyone at work for the next eight weeks. Lucas discussed the balance sheet which showed almost nine million dollars in cash and he said that was from the stimulus money, the $2.5 million dollar bond issue for the construction at the hospital and also the CMS accelerated program where the hospital was provided $3.25 million dollars that will be reduced by claims over the next six months and is being treated more like a loan. Obvious the cash flow statement showed a huge increase in cash from other sources of $5.8 million dollars. Administrator Lucas said he was encouraged by reductions in the amounts due from Medicaid and commercial insurers in April and hopes that continues, but warned the board that the accounts receivable for April was only about $1.75 million dollars which will be what the hospital will be receiving in June or July. Lucas said all the hospital auxiliary activities in April and May were cancelled, but the Shoe Roads Productions visit was rescheduled for July 9th at the hospital library. Hospital Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards said the Hospital Foundation’s golf tournament is on for June 5th at the Salem Golf Club, and the Wings and Strings is still scheduled for September 12th. Edwards said the USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program Grant is somewhat on hold with the schools being closed. Edwards said the foundation awarded scholarships to three Salem seniors: Bailee Pace, Madison Woolf and Anna McDaniel. He also reported the support group meetings have all been postponed until things get back to normal. Lucas reported on the patient Satisfaction Survey Results for the 1st quarter and the numbers were down as far as feedbacks were concerned, but the numbers came back excellent in both the Emergency Department and at SMDH Family Medicine. Lucas went on to report the hospital continues to due daily briefings on the COVID-19 situation and will continue with the No-Visitor Policy at this time. They will review that policy in late May or early June, but their major concern continues to be the Long-Term Care patients. The finance committee met on May 12th and put together a proposed budget for the next fiscal year. Board member Ray Bruno said with the current situation, there will not be across the board raises. Any raises given will be strategic raises in this budget. The budget suggests a rate increase of about 5% for all Acute Care, Ancillary and outpatient services, while Long-Term Care will go up $10 per day from $155 to $165. An increase of about 4% was added in the retirement plan and to supply costs while the finance committee expects the drug costs to increase 7.5%. The proposed budgeted net operating revenue is expected at just over $27.7 million dollars with estimated expenses also coming in close to $27.7 million dollars leaving a small gain from operation of $11,440. Property Tax revenues are expected near $500,000 which would leave the hospital with an excess of revenues over expenses of $511,400. The estimated payroll for the next fiscal year is $11,956,764. The hospital’s capital budget came in at $970,083 and that includes $589,468 in long-term leases that includes an ambulance, the MRI machine, expansion costs, a CT scan machine and more. The amount of purchases to be made was cut significantly but still came in at $380,615 with a couple of high dollar items driving up the cost. Remember, tax monies collected are only used for capital purchases and are not used toward the operation of the hospital. The board will review the proposed budget and may propose changes to it before they vote on it at the June meeting. The board approved a resolution in support of the Time Critical Diagnosis Designation at the hospital which they do every two years in support of the STEMI and Stroke programs. The board then went into closed session.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education regular monthly meeting for the month of May will be held tonight at 6:00 at the District Administrative Offices. After the consent agenda and communications, new business will be addressed including the approval of 2020-2021 meal prices, 2019-2020 budget revisions, and preliminary budget for 2020-2021. Surplus property will be approved by the board, plus they will consider a Baccalaureate Request and a support staff salary schedule change. The Board will set the reorganization meeting and regular June meeting dates before they hear resignations. The meeting will adjourn and moving into closed session to discuss personnel. The regular May meeting of the Salem R-80 Board of Education is open to the public.

The Salem Board of Aldermen held a regular meeting Monday at the City Hall Auditorium. The board heard from Juliana Bermudez about her utility bill that showed that she used over 27,000 gallons of water in December with most of the usage on days before Christmas when she was out of town. The new water meter was installed on December 3rd and Public Works Director Mark Nash looked at the meter break down and explained to the board the meter readings were inconsistent and then became normal around Christmas Day. He said the company, Neptune nor he could explain what happened. The board approved replacing the meter and sending off the current meter for testing and adjusting her bill to an average use rate. The board approved the consent agenda before City Administrator Ray Walden referred to the sales tax numbers that were all down year-to-date. He said because of the current trend, the sales tax projections for the upcoming budget will need to be very conservative and the budget will be much tighter than in other years. Walden said that he would get with Alderwoman Steelman to set up meetings for the budget including the finance and capital project committees with all board candidates being invited. Walden reported the Airport Board met last week. He reported they need to work on lease wording for hangers and Walden also said the taxi lane project at the airport has been delayed due to the weather in preparation for the six-unit T-hanger. Walden went on to say there was interest in extending the runway. He said the numbers were not yet in on the electronics collection in Salem Saturday, but he will report them when they come in. Walden said the workers were getting Cedar Grove Cemetery ready for Memorial Day celebrations and the city office would be closed on Monday, May 25th. Walden passed out a draft letter that will be sent to city residents in their upcoming utility bill that includes three options for people to pay their unpaid past utility balance and current balance. Each option will be presented for the resident to determine which is best for them. He said about 40% of the utility bills are now ready and most of the bills should be ready by weeks end. He also said they are working with the software vendor to change the bill format to reflect the new readings. Alderwoman Steelman asked that the bills that are ready be sent out immediately to the city residents and the rest as quickly as possible. The board did not approve Resolution 10-2020 as the contract with N. B. West of Sullivan did not guarantee the price of $7.50 per square yard of nova chips past May 31st and the city wanted a waiver of any mechanics lien. The board did approve Resolution 11-2020 to submit an application to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Air Pollution Control Program, Volkswagon Trust Government Truck Program to reduce emissions from older trucks. If approved, this grant would provide for 50% of the cost of a new 2021 Freightliner Diesel Flatbed with a Terex Commander Digger Derrick and 2020 Diesel Dump Truck. They also approved Bill #3449 to extend the Declaration of Emergency for the City of Salem until further action is needed from the board. This continues the protocols and practices enacted by the city during the initial 60-day period. The board approved the appointment of Richard LaBrash, Sr. to the Salem Housing Authority Board to replace Doris Stempniak whose term would expire October 4th, 2020. LaBrash also agreed to serve an additional four-year term beginning October 5th, 2020. The board then went into closed session to discuss contracts before adjourning.

The City of Salem Planning & Zoning Board of Adjustment will be meeting this Thursday evening at 6:30 in the City Hall Auditorium located at 202 N. Washington, to discuss and receive any written and oral objections on a request for a waiver to allow parking in the 30’ front setback of a new development. The parking area would include lots 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 of the South Aire Annex between Truman and Rubenstein Streets, a subdivision of land consisting of fourteen lots and owned by Central MO Investments, LLC. The meeting, called by acting chairman Bob Parsons, is open to the public.

Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, recognizes Memorial Day weekend is highly anticipated, especially after these last few months. A safe, fun weekend starts with planning and good decisions. Please remember to observe social distancing and other CDC guidelines, and stay home if you are ill. If your plans include driving, choose to be courteous and obey all Missouri laws. Use a seat belt when you drive and wear a life jacket when you’re on or near the water. Always pay attention, whether you’re operating a vehicle or a vessel, and choose to be a sober driver. The Patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (the Crash Awareness Reduction Effort) during the long holiday weekend. This means every available trooper will be on the road enforcing traffic laws and assisting motorists. Motorists in need of assistance or who want to report a crime should use the Highway Patrol’s Emergency Assistance number 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone. For road condition reports, travelers can visit www.mshp.dps.mo.gov. or call 1-888-275-6636. Over the 2019 Memorial Day holiday weekend, eight people died and 433 were injured in 1,009 traffic crashes. Last year, troopers made 96 DWI arrests. This year’s counting period for the holiday weekend begins at 6:00 this Friday night, May 22nd, and ends at 11:59 Monday night, May 25th. Troopers will focus their attention on seat belt use, use of child safety seats, impaired drivers, hazardous moving violations, and speed violations. Motorists are encouraged to do their part to make Missouri’s roadways safer. Speed, inattention, and impaired driving are leading causes of traffic crashes. Please do your part. Obey all traffic laws and make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint and above all, have a safe Memorial Day Weekend! We’ve earned it!

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. Dwight Ramsburg from Septagone was in to request a change order to add a magnetic lock from Meyer Electric to the jail project for $2,321.08. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell indicated that southern Dent County received about three inches of rain over the weekend which caused some road damage. All crews will be out repairing and patch grading numerous damaged roads while brush will be cut on Dent County Road 6220. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported that in the Dent County Road 5330 area, the county received about three inches of rain in less than an hour and half on Thursday last week, then received about three inches in other locations over the weekend. He said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 5330 and 5260 while only grading would be done on county road 5300. He did state that other county roads were going to be checked for damages and repaired if needed. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported on the MRPC board meeting held Thursday night that dealt mostly with the CARES Act money that was sent to the counties to distribute to businesses and to cover costs associated with the COVID-19 virus. Skiles said the MRPC would be putting together a proposal to administer the funds for the CARES Act for each county that would be interested in that service. He said there are still some vague points that need to be clarified and felt the MRPC could stay on top of that better with their staff who will be better equipped to handle the applications, phone calls and more. He said a budget hearing would be held on Tuesday, May 26th at 9:30 at the County Courthouse to add the CARES Act money to the county budget. Skiles also said the MRPC Annual Awards banquet and dinner will be held on October 22nd at the Linn State Technical College. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said absentee voting for the Municipal Election on June 2nd is still going on and the last day to mail out an absentee ballot will be this Wednesday, May 20th. On Monday, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and members of his staff were at the Dent County Courthouse to deliver safety supplies for the poll workers. Curley wanted to remind everyone the last day to register to vote for the August 4th Primary would be July 8th. The board heard a request from Prosecutor Andrew Curley to waive late fees and penalties of his real estate and property tax bill. Curley said the payment was mailed before December 31st, but the collector never received the payment. The commissioners waited to talk with Curley directly before making a decision. According to unapproved meeting minutes, following a discussion with Prosecutor Curley, the commissioners initially agreed to waive the penalties and interest back to January. The commissioners and Prosecutor Curley heard an update on the opiod legislation in closed session that started at 11:00, before coming back into open session at 11:20. After closed session, Collector Shannon VanKirk discussed the issue of waiving fees with the commission and recommended following the state statute that says unless it was a county error, the penalties and interest fees need to be paid. The Commission then rescinded their early decision and will not waive the fees. The courthouse will be closed on Monday, May 25th for Memorial Day so the next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Tuesday morning, may 26th at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting will be open to the public.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will conduct their May meeting tonight in the hospital library beginning at 6:00. After approval of the agenda and minutes of the April 21st regular meeting, Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas will report on the summary of the operations for the month of April, give the Home Health report and the hospital auxiliary report. The Chief of Nursing Report will then be given by Debbie Hines. A report on the hospital foundation, plus the marketing and community perception report will be given by Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards. Lucas will also go over the Patient Satisfaction Survey results for the period of January through March for the Emergency Department and SMDH Family Medicine. In old business the Board will hear the Fiscal Year ’21 Finance Committee Report, receive a COVID-19 update and also be updated on the Hospital Expansion and Renovation. New business will include a time critical diagnosis resolution as well as purchases since the last meeting. The board may vote to go into closed session. Due to COVID-19, social distancing guidelines for the May meeting of the Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will be held by telephone/video conference. The meeting is open to anyone to join. For information on how to access the meeting, please email Karen Brown at kbrown@smdh.net or call (573) 729-5917, extension 4005.

A free University of Missouri Extension webinar series on home gardening continues at 6:30 tonight. MU Extension specialists developed the eight-part series to help people who want to grow healthy foods, according to Juan Cabrera-Garcia, MU Extension horticulturist. The eight-part evening series includes an hour of instruction and 30 minutes for questions and answers. Registrants may attend individual sessions or the entire series. Classes cover the basics of cool- and warm-season gardening, including container gardening, from fertility to food preservation. Topics and specialists teaching the webinar include “Insects in Your Garden” tonight with Tamra Reall; then “Disease Prevention and Management” on May 26th with Debi Kelly followed by “Cool Season Crops” on June 2nd with David Trinklein. Also the “Warm Season Crops” can be seen on June 9th with Katie Kammler, with “Container Gardening” on June 16th with David Trinklein. The sessions will conclude with “Preserving the Harvest” on June 23rd with Leslie Bertsch. You can register at extension2.missouri.edu/events and click on the home gardening webinar series or call Juan Cabrera-Garcia at 573-686-8064 to learn more.

The Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting this evening at 7:10 at the Salem City Hall Auditorium for their regular board meeting. At the meeting, the board will hear from Juliana Bermudez about her utility bill. Following the consent agenda, the board will hear from City Administrator Ray Walden with numerous city projects. In the introduction and reading of the bills, the board will hear Resolution 10-2020 that would allow the mayor to sign an agreement between the City of Salem and N.B. West Contracting of Sullivan to nova chip streets in the city, Resolution #11-2020 that authorizes the mayor to execute an application to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Air Pollution Control Program, Volkswagon Trust Government Truck Program that allows for the reimbursement of 50% of the purchase price of the equipment; and Bill #3449 creating an ordinance to extend the Declaration of Emergency for the City of Salem established March 23rd until a later date to be determined by the board. This is due to the coronavirus that does include temporary protocols and practices for the City of Salem. The board will then discuss the Salem Housing Authority Board Appointment that was postponed lat meeting due to an in discrepancy. The board will then go into closed session to discuss contracts before adjourning. The regular meeting will be open to the public and will follow social distancing guidelines. If you prefer, you may watch and hear the meeting online at www.ksmoradio.com and then clicking on the streaming button.

The Salem Police Department has released their report for the month of April. They issued 3 equipment repair orders, 11 summonses to appear in court, 13 warning tickets, and 17 traffic tickets, plus they also served 4 fugitive warrants. The Salem Police investigated 12 traffic accidents, wrote 1 property damage report, 12 stealing reports, and had 1 death investigation. The department investigated 5 driving while being revoked or suspended, 3 possessions of a controlled substance reports, 4 domestic violence reports, along with 1 sexual offense as well as 1 leaving the scene of an accident. The department was also dispatched for 43 animal calls, 15 ambulance assist calls, and performed 47 traffic stops for the month. The Department also conducted 57 follow-up investigations, investigated 4 leaving without paying and conducted 14 well being checks. The Salem Police Department received 842 calls for service during the month of April and had 47 walk-ins to the station. The department drove 8,750 miles during the month of April. There were 12 males and 4 females arrested in April. The Police Department also served 4 hours during the month as court bailiff for the month.

Chip and seal operations have begun throughout the state, and the Missouri Department of Transportation wants you to know what this work entails and why this technique is used to preserve highways throughout the state. MoDOT has prepared a series of videos titled “All About Chip Seals” to help drivers better understand this maintenance technique. The videos can be found on MoDOT Central District’s YouTube channel here. MoDOT state maintenance director says the bottom line is that chip sealing is a cost-effective way to get more use out of our highways. A chip seal operation entails spraying a heated film of asphalt liquid on the road, followed by placing fine rocks or chips on top. The chips are then compacted to make them adhere to the roadway. Finally, the excess loose chips are swept from the surface, leaving an improved roadway that will hold up longer than it would have without the treatment. Chip seals are about one-third the cost of a conventional asphalt overlay, averaging $15,000 per mile as compared to an estimated $55,000 per mile for an asphalt overlay. Chip seals keep damaging water from penetrating paved surfaces and extend the life of the pavement for an additional five to seven years. Chip sealing also seals cracks and improves roadway traction. A surface may be chip sealed several times, providing the road remains structurally sound. The chip seal process is typically used on roads carrying lower traffic volumes which make up more than half of MoDOT’s roadway network. Roark went on to say that motorists need to observe the speed limit of 35 mph on roads where chip sealing is in progress and that most damage to vehicles comes when drivers are going too fast or ignore road conditions in a chip seal work zone. Motorists should also be aware that flaggers and pilot vehicles are frequently present at chip seal operations, and vehicles may be required to come to a complete stop. Traffic delays are possible, so travelers should consider alternate routes, if available. Road condition information is available 24/7 on MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map located at modot.org or through MoDOT’s smartphone app which can be downloaded free for iPhone and Android phones.

The Salem Public Library misses their library patrons and they look forward to reopening the library in the near future. Until they can fully reopen, the library has decided to offer no-contact curbside service only. This is a safe way to allow patrons to borrow materials, while still keeping the building closed to the public. This service will begin TODAY and be held Monday through Friday from 10:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon, and on Saturday from 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM. All items must be returned in the book drop before a patron is allowed to check out new materials. Patron’s library account needs to be in good standing before new items can go out. If you have any questions about your account, or want to request your items by phone, call 729-4331 or go online at salempubliclibary.net. Patrons are required to remain six feet apart while waiting to pick up their items and stay in your vehicle until the staff member is back inside. Also, the library will not be accepting any book or magazine donations at this time.

The Dent County Animal Welfare Society is open but is only accessible by appointment only. Call ahead and schedule a time to visit the shelter. Their number is 729-3556 and they are normally open from 1:00 until 5:00 weekdays.

Do you use Quickbooks for your business and have received Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) or Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds? Instead of opening a new account to manage those funds, learn how to save yourself time and headaches by managing the disaster relief funds using the class accounting function in QuickBooks. This webinar will walk business owners through how to set up the class accounting function, use class tracking, assign classes to transactions and create reports. It will cover both the desktop and online version. The webinar is this morning at 11:00 and to join you must sign up by 10:00 at https://missouri.ecenterdirect.com/events/22037

Dent County Health Center Administrator Kendra Mobray reports that the Health Center has confirmed its first positive case of COVID-19 in Dent County Wednesday night. The patient’s identity will remain confidential, and they have been notified that they have tested positive for COVID-19. The Health Center is working with this individual to insure they are following Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines in regards to isolation. The Health Center worked with this individual to identify close contacts in order to monitor them for symptoms and contain the spread and the Dent County Health Center nurses have spoken to those close contacts. If you are identified as a potentially exposed person, you will be contacted by the Dent County Health Center as they are taking necessary precautions to keep our patients and community safe and will continue to diligently monitor the COVID-19 situation and follow CDC guidelines to help protect the public health and limit spread of this infection. Mobray has released a number of locations where potential COVID-19 exposure occurred in the community as part of the Dent County Health Center’s duty to protect the public’s health. The person who tested positive was at these locations on the days and dates indicated. On Friday May 8th, they were at the Salem Country Mart from approximately 10:30 to 11:00 in the morning, then they were at the Salem Wal-Mart from about 11:00 until 12:00 noon. Also on Friday, they were at the Salem Pizza Inn between 5:00 and 6:00 in the afternoon. This person was also in attendance at the Salem Main Street Cafe on Tuesday, May 12th from approximately 11:00 in the morning until 12:00 noon. People at these locations on these dates below are at low risk for contracting COVID-19, but should monitor for symptoms. There is no need to self-quarantine or isolate unless symptoms develop. Mobray says it is important that each and every one of us continue to practice basic preventative measures to help decrease the spread. These measures, as outlined by the CDC, include: avoiding contact with people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes, proper hand-washing, cleaning frequently used surfaces, and staying home when sick. The Health Center highly encourage you to call your healthcare provider before seeking care if you suspect that you have COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

According to the CDC, people with COVID-19 can have a wide range of symptoms that can range from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19. Those symptoms are cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, a new loss of taste or smell, and some less common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. This list is not all inclusive. If you think you or someone you know has COVID-19 symptoms, call your doctor about your symptoms and getting tested. If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 like trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in your chest, or bluish lips or face, get medical attention immediately!

The Salem Senior Class of 2020 will be having a parade this tonight starting at 7:00 which was to be their graduating exercise. The parade route will begin at Center Street & Iron Mountain Road where the graduating seniors will travel to East Fourth Street and travel west to MacArthur, shifting to West Third Street and concluding at the High School on Tiger Pride Drive. Everyone in the community is encouraged to show your support of the 2020 Senior Class. Feel free to set up your chairs on the sidewalks or celebrate these young people’s achievement from your vehicles while maintaining social distancing measures.

Missouri State Parks have announced the phased reopening of campgrounds as a part of its continued efforts to return to normal operations in conjunction with Governor Mike Parson’s “Show Me Strong” Recovery Plan. Missouri State Parks campgrounds will reopen to accommodate existing campground reservations starting at 3:00 in the afternoon on Monday, May 18th. In addition, new reservations will be accepted starting on Monday for arrival dates beginning Tuesday, May 26th. First-come, first-served camping will no longer be available at most state park campgrounds. Missouri State Parks will also be instituting a number of changes related to campground operations to better facilitate appropriate social distancing and improve the safety of operations for Missouri State Parks’ guests and staff. The changes include reservations will be required prior to arrival, campground occupancy will be limited at some parks and sites, Missouri State Parks will increase the frequency of cleaning shower houses and restrooms, campers will use a new no contact self-check-in feature, there will be occupancy restrictions in shower houses and restrooms, and Missouri State Parks will only accept credit and debit cards. Missouri State Parks staff will be available at the park or historic site to answer any questions. Missouri State Park beaches will open to the public on Thursday, May 21st, with visitors expected to practice social distancing. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. If you have questions regarding Missouri State Parks, please e-mail moparks@dnr.mo.gov.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released the following reports. On Sunday, May 10th, deputies responded to a residence in the 200 block of Route H for a report of a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that a 37-year-old Salem woman was the reported victim. A Missouri 12-hour rule was invoked and deputies transported the woman to a residence in Salem. Also on the 10th, deputies responded to a residence in the 1700 block of West Scenic Rivers Blvd. for a report of a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that a 56-year-old woman was the reported victim. During the course of the investigation, a 54-year-old Salem man was arrested for domestic assault in the 2nd degree. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail and incarcerated. Please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241 if you have any information about an ongoing investigation.

A special waste collection for residential and farm electronics, appliances and tires will be held on Saturday, May 16th from 9:00 in the morning until 1:00 in the afternoon at the Salem construction parking lot at the corner of 3rd and Grand Streets. The collection is for household items only as no materials from businesses will be accepted and the collection is open to residents from Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. To minimize personal contact, those bringing items to the collection are asked to stay inside their vehicles and assistants will unload items. Stoves, washers, dryers, hot water heaters, and other appliances will be collected free of charge. Free electronics also include computer components, laptop computers, keyboards, hair dryers, VCR/DVD players, cell phones or anything that runs on a cord or battery. Oil and gas must be removed from tanks of any items such as push mowers, weed eaters, etc. Fees on certain items will be collected. The fees are $25 for CRT TVs over 27 inches and wood console TVs, $20 for CRT TVs under 26 inches, $15 for flat screen TVs, $10 for all computer monitors and refrigerated appliances with Freon. Fees for tires are as follows: $2 each for passenger tires, $7.50 each for semi-truck tires and $35 each for tractor tires. For more information on items accepted or the fee structure, please contact Jill Hollowell at MRPC at 573-265-2993 Ext. 109 or at jhollowell@meramecregion.org. The city of Salem and Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC), with funding through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMD), are offering the May 16th collection.

The Salem Police Department has released some reports. On Thursday, April 23rd shortly after 9:00 in the evening, officers were dispatched to the 100 block of North Macarthur for a report of an unresponsive female. A 37-year-old Salem female was pronounced dead at the scene by Dent County Deputy Coroner Ben Pursifull. During the investigation, two subjects, a 41-year-old Salem man and a 34-year-old Salem woman, were arrested for outstanding warrants. The 34-year-old woman was also found to be in possession of a controlled substance. A probable cause statement was forwarded to the Dent County Prosecutor. Both subjects were incarcerated in the Dent County Jail. The death is still under investigation while waiting for toxicology results. On Friday, April 24th at 8:32 in the evening, an officer conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Highways 19 and 32 for no taillights or license plates. As a result of the traffic stop it was found that the driver, a 27-year-old Salem man had a suspended driver’s license and was arrested and issued a summons for driving while having their license suspended. On the morning of April 25th at around 1:20, an officer was dispatched to the 700 block of east Hunt Street for the report of a domestic disturbance. During the investigation, a male was found to have an active warrant for his arrest out of the Phelps County Sheriffs Office. The male, a 33-year-old Salem man, was arrested on the active arrest warrant and transported to the Dent County Jail for incarceration pending extradition. Later that same evening just after 9:00, an officer conducted a traffic stop near the Fourth Street Mall on a vehicle not having taillights. As a result of the stop it was found the driver had an expired driver’s license. The driver, a 36-year-old Salem woman, was arrested and issued a summons to appear in court for driving with an expired license. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released the following reports. On Monday, May 4th, a deputy traveled to a residence on North Macarthur Street to serve an arrest warrant. During the course of the incident, a 36-year-old Salem man was arrested for having active warrants through the Dent County Sheriff’s Office. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail and incarcerated. Also on the 4th, a deputy traveled to the parking lot of Salem Memorial District Hospital for a report of a theft. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that a 43-year-old Salem man was the reported victim. Total value of the property stolen is approximately $60.00. This report is still under investigation. Then next day, Tuesday May 5th, a deputy traveled to a residence in the 1000 block of Route Z for a report of a burglary. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that a 34- year-old Salem man was the reported victim. This report is still under investigation. Please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241 if you have any information about an ongoing investigation.

Elephant Rocks State Park is now open to the public with social distancing measures in place. While the park will be open for day-use, capacity will be monitored closely in order to prevent overcrowding. If a park is nearing capacity, gates or parking lots may close temporarily. All visitors must remain diligent and come prepared to enjoy the outdoors responsibly by following the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Governor Parson that includes keeping a minimum distance of six feet between you and others, come prepared and carry hand sanitizers, soaps, wipes and water; avoid touching your face, handshakes and hugs; cover your mouth and nose with your elbow when you cough or sneeze, pack out what you pack in, and most importantly, stay home if you are sick. All visitor centers, park offices, tours, programs, group camps, enclosed shelters, playgrounds, pools and beaches remain closed.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams presented the sales tax monies received by the county in May. Her report showed that in May of 2019, the General Revenue sales tax and Law Enforcement Sales Tax was $64,433.28 while this year the county received $67,856.66. That is a $3,423.88 increase comparing May of 2020 and May of 2019. Year-to-date, the county has received $19,503.81 less than for this time last year in General Revenue and in the LEST fund. The Road and Bridge Department received $31,197.82 this May while last year during May the county received $28,523.33. That is an increase of $2,674.49 for the month and that fund is down year-to-date $6,565.79 which is a 3.56% reduction. Each jail fund received $62,366.48 from the collections in May, but that month-to-date total for each fund is up from last May which was $59,665.68 and year-to-date, each fund is $14,916.37 down from last year. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk came in to report that she had two abatements for the commissioners to sign and also reported the collections for the county are up in 2020 over 2019. For April, she said the county collected $78,986.64 in personal property and real estate taxes. She said three or four of the clients came in and paid their back three years of taxes they owed with their stimulus money sent to them by the federal government. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 4220 and 6570. He went on to say brush would be cut on county roads 6170 and 6320 and a crew would be replacing downed or missing county road signs on county roads 5600 and 5380. District 2 commissioner Gary Larson reported grading would be done on Dent County Roads 3240, 3250, 3270, 3273 and 3275, while materials would be added and grading done on county road 2530. Larson said brush would be cut on county roads 2110 and 2115. Presiding Commissioner Darrel Skiles said he would be attending an Ozark Solid waste Management District Executive Board meeting Tuesday and Thursday he would be attending MRPC Committee meetings as well as the MRPC regular meeting that evening. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley was doing poll worker training, but left her report that said July 8th would be the last day to register to vote for the August Primary. Absentee voting for the June 2nd Municipal Election continues and that she balanced with the collector and assessor on all collections, abatements and add-ons for the month of April. Also at the meeting, Tyler Stewart with the State Highway Patrol was in and discussed with the commission that tractor trailer trucks are being routed by GPS down a county road off Highway 68 to the Charcoal Plant. He says there is a low water bridge that will not hold up much longer. Commissioner Larson will check it out. Mike Elliott from Town and Country Insurance came in to discuss replacement insurance on the buildings. The commission agreed to raise the replacement on the buildings. The Courthouse was raised by an an additional $350,000 and the Judicial Building was raised an additional $250,000. The Commission approved and signed the 2020 Division of Social Services agreement and also agreed to sign a lease agreement between the County and Russell House for office space in the Judicial Building Annex for $220 per month. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday, May 18th at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Senior Class of 2020 will be having a parade this Friday night, May 15th starting at 7:00 which was to be their graduating exercise. The parade route will begin at Center Street & Iron Mountain Road where the graduating seniors will travel to East Fourth Street and travel west to MacArthur, shifting to West Third Street and concluding at the High School on Tiger Pride Drive. Everyone in the community is encouraged to show your support of the 2020 Senior Class by decorating your homes & businesses on the parade route to show your support of these young people. Plus feel free to set up your chairs on the sidewalks or celebrate these young people’s achievement from your vehicles while maintaining social distancing measures. The Salem R-80 Board of Education did approve to hold the 2020 graduation exercises at the Salem High School Football Field on Friday, June 5th at 7:00. A limit of five tickets per graduating senior was also set by the board for the event with alternative date of June 6th should there be inclement weather.

The Salem Airport Board of the City of Salem will hold a meeting tonight at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center@the Armory. At the meeting, the board will be updated on the airport lights, new hangar project, proposed hangar lease rates including the former Domeyer hanger, get updated on the gate opener, be updated on the contracting out the fuel service, receive an update on the airport courtesy car and also discuss the 2019-2020 airport financial report and discuss some 2020-2021 budget considerations. Any new business will be addressed before the meeting is adjourned. The meeting is open to the public. Adherence to the social distancing requirement will be enforced.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that turkey hunters checked 38,730 birds during Missouri’s 2020 regular spring turkey season from April 20th through May 10th. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 899 birds harvested, Callaway with 699, and Texas with 660. Young turkey hunters also harvested 2,724 birds during the 2020 spring youth season that was held April 4th and 5th, bringing the overall 2020 spring turkey harvest to 41,454. Last year, young turkey hunters harvested 2,546 birds during the spring youth season and hunters harvested 36,249 during the regular spring season for a 2019 spring season total harvest of 38,795 birds. Harvests in the counties in our area included Phelps with 628 birds checked, Dent with 488 birds taken, Crawford with 458 birds harvested, Shannon with 331 birds checked, Reynolds with 245 turkeys taken and Iron with 208 birds harvested. There was one report of a non-fatal hunting incident during the 2020 spring turkey season. It involved one hunter mistakenly shooting another hunter.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will hold a Special Meeting this evening at 6:00 at the district administrative offices. After approval of the agenda, the Board will move in to closed session to discuss personnel.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education Saturday morning in a special meeting of the board voted unanimously to employ Dr. Lynne L. Reed as the new Salem R-80 School District Superintendent with her duties to begin on July 1st. Reed had been the superintendent of the Newburg R-II School District for the last five years, and prior to that was the elementary principal and director of special services in the Steelville School District from 2006-2015. She was an elementary principal in the Rolla School District from 1998-2003. Reed, who has lived in Phelps County almost all her life, will replace John McColloch who resigned last month as he was hired as the Washington school district’s new assistant superintendent of finance and operations. McColloch served as the Salem R-80 Superintendent for five years after being the assistant superintendent for five years. McColloch was also the Salem Junior High principal for five years before accepting the assistant superintendent position.

An accident happened Saturday night at 11:30 in Reynolds County on Route N near Lesterville that left two men with serious injuries. According to the highway patrol report, a 2011 Infiniti driven southbound by 58-year old Daryl Black of Farmington, intentionally struck two pedestrians in the road and left the scene. Suffering serious injuries were 21-year Brantley Mathes of Black, Missouri and 44-year old Chris Whitbey of Middle Brook, Missouri. Mathis and Whitbey were both flown by Air Evac to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. Black was later arrested at 12:32 early Sunday morning and was charged with felony driving while being intoxicated leading to a serious physical injury, a felony for leaving the scene of an accident with physical injuries, and a felony for leaving the scene of an accident with property damage exceeding $1,000.00. Black was placed in the Reynolds County Jail on a 24-hour hold.

An accident occurred Saturday evening at 11:30 in Dent County on Route B about nine miles east of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu driven by 33- year old Megan Johnson of St. Louis, was traveling eastbound and swerved to miss a deer. The Malibu the traveled off the right side of the road and struck a tree. A passenger in the Malibu, 41-year old Christopher Null of Park Hills, suffered serious injuries and was flown to the Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur by Air Evac. The driver, Megan Johnson, suffered minor injures as did an 11-year old juvenile from Park Hills, and they were both transported to the Salem Memorial District Hospital by Salem Ambulance. Johnson and the juvenile were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident; however Null was not wearing a safety restraint. The Malibu was totaled in the acci dent and was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem.

A one vehicle accident happened at 3:20 Saturday morning in Phelps County on Phelps County Road 8110 about a quarter of a mile north of Rolla. According to the report from the highway patrol, a 2014 Ford Focus being driven by 19-year old Kenneth Pankey of Rolla was southbound when the vehicle became airborne over a hill and traveled off the left side of the road where the Focus struck a creek bed and overturned. Pankey suffered serious injuries and was transported from the scene by the Phelps Health Ambulance to the Phelps Health Hospital before being transported by air ambulance to the University Hospital in Columbia. Two passengers in the Focus, 17-year old Dakota Triska and 18-year old Zolboo Munkhjrgal, both of Rolla, were transported by ambulance to Phelps Health in Rolla for treatment of minor and moderate injuries. The Ford Focus was totaled and removed from the scene by C & C Towing. Only Dakota Triska was known to be wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.

A two vehicle accident happened Sunday, May 3rd shortly before noon at the intersection of Highways 19 and 32. According to the report from the Salem Police department, a 2005 Ford F-150 being driven by Brayden Ferguson of Salem was traveling east on Highway 32 andhad a flashing yellow light when he failed to yield and struck a 2013 GMC Sierra being driven by Roy Feiste of Frohna, Missouri causing the camping trailer being towed by the GMC to slide into a traffic pole before coming to a rest. Ferguson had minor injuries while a passenger in the GMC received serious injuries. All vehicles involved sustained extensive damage in the accident. The Ford and GMC were both towed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

Lodging, retail and food operations at Echo Bluff State Park have resumed and they will be operational in a limited capacity. Echo Bluff takes great pride in maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene. They have taken additional measures to create all their cleaning and hygiene protocols developed in consultation with State, local public health authorities and the CDC. This includes all recommended cleaning and sanitation guidelines in all accommodations and public areas. All Park staff will wear masks and all food servers will also wear gloves at this time. They will continue to adjust food and beverage service with current food safety recommendations and ask that you help by practicing social distancing, washing your hands frequently and adhering to all state regulations and requirements.

The Salem Public Library is proud to offer you best-selling and classic eAudiobooks and eBooks available 24/7 to keep your mind active. You can browse the collection, place holds and check out using your library card. You can then transfer the titles to your computer and many mobile devices. Patrons are encouraged to call 729-4331 to get more information.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports for May 1st. On that Friday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at the Route H and Highway 72 intersection. During the course of the traffic stop, a 35-year-old Salem man was arrested for having active warrants through the Phelps County Sheriff’s Office and Scott County Sheriff’s Office. The man was transported to the Phelps County Sheriff’s Office where he was incarcerated. Later that same day, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at the Route C and Dent County Road 2190 intersection. During the course of the traffic stop, a 30-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. If anyone has information regarding an ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

Medicare wants to remind you that scammers are using the COVID-19 pandemic to try to steal your Medicare Number, personal information,
and money. And they’re using robocalls, social media posts, and emails to do it. Remember, if anyone reaches out to get your Medicare Number or personal information in exchange for something, you can bet it’s a scam. To help prevent Medicare fraud, be on the lookout so you can stop scams before they happen. Some of the recent Coronavirus scams to watch include robocalls offering you respiratory masks they’ll never send also social media posts fraudulently seeking donations for non-existent charities, or claiming to give you stimulus funds if you enter your bank account information. Other scams are offering fake testing kits, cures, “immunity” pills, and offers for protective equipment. Visit Medicare.gov/fraud for more information and tips on preventing Medicare scams and fraud.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol wants people to know effective Monday driver testing services expanded to include written testing for all classes of licenses and commercial driver license skills testing which will include the pre-trip, basic, and road testing however, but non-CDL road testing is not included in this phase of service reinstatement. In our area, the Troop I complex at 1301 Nagogami Road in Rolla will be giving written tests from 8:00 until 5:00, Monday through Friday. Motorcycle driving tests may be taken Monday through Friday from 8:00-4:30 when the pavement is dry. For more information, call 368-2345, extension 3973. The Salem satellite site at this time is not open. Those requiring the skills test for a CDL should note special priority is being given to applicants who have already passed a portion of the CDL skills test, applicants who had a CDL appointment scheduled prior to the suspension of testing last month, school bus operators over the age of 70 requiring annual testing, and applicants with other essential needs. When CDL applicants schedule an appointment, an examiner will review their COVID-19 form, and advise them to wear a face covering during testing and arrive in a sanitized vehicle. Applicants should wear face coverings while in driver examination facilities and adhere to social distancing guidelines. Face coverings will be removed briefly when the applicant’s photo is taken during the licensing process. To make an appointment about your CDL, call 573-368-2345.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education held two closed session meetings this week to hold interviews to find a new superintendent to replace John McColloch who will be leaving the district June 30th to go the Washington School District. On April 27th, the board in closed session review applications for the position and schedule the appointments. In the Monday closed session meeting, two candidates were interviewed by the board for the superintendent position and another candidate was interviewed Tuesday evening at the closed session meeting. There was also a personnel issue that was discussed during the Tuesday evening closed session meeting.

Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley reported on two cases this week. In the first case held Tuesday in front of Judge Megan Seay in Crawford County, Brandon Inman of Salem pled guilty to the possession of methamphetamine and also endangering the welfare of a child. He was sentenced to 11 years under RSMO Section 217.362 and is put in the long term drug treatment program. In the second case Wednesday in Dent County in front of Judge Seay, Kurtis Hodge of Salem, who was on probation for assault in the 2nd degree, had his probation revoked and was sentenced to seven years under RSMO Section 559.115.

The City of Salem Spring Clean Up week will be held again next week on your normal trash day by WCA, the city’s trash collection service. You can put out an unlimited amount of trash curbside. WCA also does not take yard waste. If you have any questions about the trash they will take, call WCA at 417-851-1900.