Local News

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2470, 2480, 5600 and 6420. He also said crossover pipes will be installed on county roads 2400, 2460 and 6090. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported grading would be done on Dent County Road 2330 while brush would be cut on county roads 4380 and 4330. He said material would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 2130 while materials only would be added to county road 2130. Larson said crews are putting in a pipe on Dent County Road 2070 before additional concrete is going to be added to the low water crossing under construction. Larson said that road will be closed the rest of this week and probably will not be opened until after Labor Day once the concrete cures. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he met with the State Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency mapping coordinators on Thursday at the Salem Community Center@The Armory on the a draft of the new flood plain map for Dent County. Anyone with interested in the draft can find it on the SEMA and FEMA websites. If you can’t find it, get a hold of Commissioner Skiles and he will get you more information. The commissioners unanimously approved Dent County Resolution 8-27-18 regarding approving the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley stated the last day to register for the General Election in November will be October 10th. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams brought in the CART figures received this month and they came to $60,530.99 which is $545.38 less than August of 2017’s total. Year-to-date, the county is up $4,939.80 over last year’s CART receipts which comes to about a 1.087% increase. Nick Smith from Septagon Construction Management was in attendance and Steve Davis from Shive-Hattery Architects was on a conference call as the bids for the new jail project were awarded. Smith recommended the General Construction bid would go to Prost Builders from Jefferson City for $ $5,784,000, the Laundry Equipment bid went to Loomis Brothers Equipment Co for $32,305, the steel jail cells, DEC and SEC bid went to Noah Detention Construction LLC for $2,880,000; the Elevator bid was awarded to Kone, Inc. for $139,800, the Fire Sprinkler System bid was given to Ozark Fire Sprinkler Co., Inc. for $120,000 and Meyer Electric Co. Inc. was awarded the bid for Electrical work for $948,264. A financing letter from L.J. Hart will accompany the contracts as the county is still waiting on their audit from the state to determine the interest rate on their bonds for the project financing. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be held Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident occurred Saturday afternoon at 12:55 in Phelps County on I-44 at mile marker 176. According to the Highway Patrol Report a westbound 2004 Ford Ranger, driven by 53 year-old Gina Aguilera of Las Vegas, Nevada, experienced an equipment malfunction. The Ford traveled off the right side of the roadway, then off the left side. The vehicle began to overturn, crossed the median, and finally came to rest in the passing lane of eastbound I-44. A passenger, 73 year-old Carolyn White of Salem, suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Phelps County Regional Medical Center by Phelps County Ambulance. The report stated that both White and Aguilera were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by C & C Towing of Rolla.

The Salem Police Department has released some reports. In the evening of Tuesday, August 14th at about 8:48, an officer was dispatched Caseys General Store on Highway 32 in reference to a male subject who appeared to be passed out on the sidewalk next to the building. That investigation led to the arrest of a 46-year old male subject from Rolla for an active arrest warrant. The suspect was incarcerated on the warrant. On Tuesday morning, August 15th, at 11:49, an officer was dispatched to the 600 block of South Grand Avenue in reference to a report of stealing. It was reported that a suspect had stolen several items of clothing as well as cosmetics along with a $100 bill. At this time the suspect has not been located and the report is still under investigation. At 9:13 that same evening, an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 800 block of East Ellis Street in reference to a report of a stolen vehicle. The victims’ son had left the vehicle at his residence at left for work. Upon returning he noticed that the vehicle was not there. The vehicle is described as a grey 1998 Nissan Sentra. The report is under investigation. A short time later at 10:19, officers responded to a residence in the 800 block of East Ellis Street in reference to serving an arrest warrant. The investigation led to the arrest of a 24-year old male subject from Salem for an active warrant and the suspect was incarcerated for the warrant. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

On Monday, August 20th, the Dent County Sheriff’s Office was requested to assist the Missouri State Highway Patrol with investigating an accident in the 8500 block of Highway 19 South. After a short investigation, it was determined that a 53-year old Salem man had attempted suicide by shooting himself in the head at a residence in the 9000 block of Highway 19 South, but was unsuccessful. He then left the residence in a vehicle and crashed a short distance away. He fled into a field before law enforcement’s arrival. A search was conducted and he was located in a patch of woods. He was transported to the Salem Memorial District Hospital for medical treatment. This incident is still under investigation. If anyone has information about this case, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

The Salem Police department reported that an accident occurred Friday, August 17th, at 3:41 in the afternoon. A 2012 Chevrolet Impala, driven by George Barnitz of Lake Spring, was stopped facing east on Highway 32 in the turn lane and was preparing to turn onto Highway 32. At that time, a 2006 Honda Civic was traveling west on Highway 32, driven by Heather McDaniel of Salem. Barnitz stated he saw the McDaniel vehicle but thought he had enough time to turn. McDaniel stated he saw the Impala turning in front of her and started breaking and turning left to avoid the accident. The front passenger side bumper of the Honda collided with the Impala in the rear passenger side panel. McDaniel received minor injuries in the accident. Both vehicles sustained moderate damage and were driven from the scene. Another accident was reported on Monday, August 20th at 8:09 in the morning on Highway 32. The accident occurred as a 2005 GMC bus, owned by Salem Residential Care and driven by Khristia Webb of Salem, was traveling westbound in the driving lane of Highway 32 while a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, driven by Johnathan Murr of Salem, was in the passing lane also traveling westbound. Murr stated he turned his signal on to change lanes into the driving lane and did not see a vehicle beside him when changing lanes. Webb stated she saw the Jeep changing into her lane and attempted to avoid the collision. The Jeep’s rear quarter panel collided with the front driver’s fender on the bus and the damage continued down the entire side of the vehicle. After the collision, the bus traveled off the right side of the roadway, went over a curb and came to rest off the roadway. No injuries were reported. The Jeep was driven from the scene with minor damage while the bus was towed by American Muffler and Towing with moderate damage.

The Salem Police Department released a number of reports. On Friday, August 10th at 12:29 in the afternoon, an officer was contacted in the lobby of the Salem Police Department for a report of and assault. The investigation led to the arrest of a 36-year old male subject for assaulting a 57-year old male. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. Later that same evening at 9:52, an officer was conducting a narcotics investigation at a residence in the 500 block of South Jackson Street. The investigation led to the arrest of a 40-year old female of Salem for the possession of marijuana and also for the possession of drug paraphernalia. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. In the evening of Saturday, August 11th, an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 200 block of East First Street in reference to a fight in progress. The investigation led to the arrest of a 38-year old male from Salem for disorderly conduct. The suspect was combative and uncooperative with the booking process and was transported to the Dent County Sheriffs office for incarceration. At approximately midnight, the subject became cooperative and was processed, issued a summons to appear in court and was released. Later that night at 11:05, a vehicle was stopped for a license violation. The investigation led to the arrest of a 48-year old male from Salem for an active arrest warrant. The suspect was transported to the Dent County Sheriffs office and incarcerated on the warrant. On Monday, August 13th, at 10:24 in the morning, an officer was dispatched to the city administrative offices parking lot in reference to an abandoned vehicle. The investigation led to the arrest of a 40-year old male from Cuba for receiving stolen property. The license plates on the vehicle were confirmed to be stolen from St. James. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. That same morning at 11:20, an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 600 block of East Hunt Street for an unresponsive female not breathing. The victim was determined to be deceased and the coroner was contacted. The police investigation determined the death to be from natural causes. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

An accident occurred in Phelps County on Saturday in the morning that took the life of a teenager from St. James. According to the highway patrol report, a 1999 GMC Sierra driven southbound by 16-year old Tristen Russ of St. James, crossed the center line and traveled off the left side of the roadway, where the Sierra struck a fence and a tree. The Sierra overturned and caught fire. Russ was pronounced dead at the scene by the Phelps County Coroner Andy Davis. The GMC was totaled and removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing. The highway patrol was assisted by the St James Fire Department and EMS.

The Dent County Commission met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the Dent County Courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was attending a FEMA Flood Plain Map update meeting so Assistant Dent County Clerk Crystal Pilkington appointed District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell as Acting Presiding Commissioner. Kevin Parr with Midwest Public Risk, an insurance pool, was in to share information about the organization’s different insurance plans. In the road report, Purcell reported that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 3110, 6080, 6083, 6370, 6410, and 5600. He noted that culvert repair would be done on Dent County Road 6400 and culvert installation would take place on county roads 6090 and 6040. Purcell reported that Monday evening he attended the Tourism Commission meeting where one proposal was submitted and approved, plus one reimbursement request was submitted. It was tabled awaiting additional information. On Tuesday, he attended the South Central Community Action Agency meeting in Winona. Purcell said funds were available for a variety of programs and information is available by contacting Sarah at (573) 729-3500. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson said that materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 4020, while grading only would be done on county road 2020. He reported that two men were cutting brush on Dent County Roads 5340, 5323, 2305, and 2340. Larson said that work continues on the low water crossing on county road 2070 and that the road would probably be closed most if not all of next week. Pilkington reported that bills were being approved by the Commissioners for payment. Propane bids were opened at 10:00 and Ferrell gas was the low bidder for 3,500 gallons at $1.395 per gallon. The next regular meeting of the Commission will be Monday morning in the Courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The American Volunteers will be hosting the Second Annual Ron’s “Race for a Reason” this Labor Day Weekend starting Friday, August 31st and lasting through Sunday, September 2nd at Flat Nasty Off-Road Park. The big attraction is a Cross Country Race Saturday morning starting at 10:00 that costs $25 to enter and offers a 100% payback. The purse is already at $3,000 and it’s growing. There will be a race for trucks and side by sides. A special event will happen at the conclusion of the race when the last living Medal of Honor Recipient living in Missouri, Donald “Doc” Ballard, will present the checks to the winners of the Cross Country Race. Food will be available each day. Spectators are welcome to attend as are those who wish to ride trails as open trail riding will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday on the grounds. As a special treat for the kids on Saturday, an artificial snow machine will create snow for everyone to enjoy. The 2nd Annual Ron’s “Race for a Reason” will benefit The American Volunteers, a community service group of veterans and supporters. For more information about this special family friendly Labor Day event, you can go online to theamericanvolunteers.us, check them out on Facebook, or call Flat Nasty at 729-6668 or 573-548-1112.

The Salem Police Department released their report for the month of July. During the month, they wrote four equipment repair orders, nine summons to appear in court, 16 warning tickets, and 15 traffic tickets. The Salem Police Department investigated 11 accidents, two assaults, two burglaries, served four city warrants and three fugitive warrants, one report of disorderly conduct, one dog bite, one report of a domestic assault, four reports of domestic violence, two reports of driving while being intoxicated, three reports of driving while having a license revoked or suspended, one endangering the welfare of a child and three reports of fraud. The department also investigated six reports of possession of a controlled substance and four reports of possession of drug paraphernalia. There were five investigations of property damage, two reports of resisting or interfering with an arrest, 18 reports of stealing, one trespassing and one 96 hour commitment. The police department received 1,359 calls for service during the month and handled 96 walk-ins to the station. They spent 10 hours in court testifying and 10 hours as court bailiff. The Salem Police Department drove a total of 8,274 miles and arrested 18 males and 11 females during the month of July.

With temperatures expected to be in the 90’s this weekend and into next week, City of Salem Parks and Recreation Director Tye Lydon is reminding everyone the Alice Lou Craig Municipal Pool at the Salem City park will remain open through Saturday, September 1st. The pool will be open 4:00-7:00 weekdays, noon until 7:00 PM on Saturdays and from 1:00 until 6:00 this Sunday. For questions, call 729-6228.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital held their public tax rate hearing Tuesday afternoon at 5:45 at the hospital library. The tax rate is determined by dividing the amount of revenue required by the current assessed valuation, then multiplied by 100 to show the tax rate expressed by cents per $100 assessed valuation. Last year the tax rate was 19.2 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The total assessed valuation for the four counties that make up the hospital district for 2019 is $250,198,261 which is up from the $244,240.452 from 2018. The budgeted tax receipts the hospital anticipates is $475,000. At 19.2 cents per $100 assessed valuation, the hospital would receive $480,381 if everyone paid. The board elected to leave the tax rate the same at 19.2 cents per $100 assessed valuation for the 2019 by a unanimous vote as it will meet their required budgeted amount. The public hearing was then adjourned.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports. On Saturday, August 11th deputies responded to a residence on Private Lane 413 in reference to a domestic disturbance. It was discovered that a 23-year old Salem man had struck his wife in the face, causing physical injuries. The husband had left the residence and was not located by law enforcement. Charges are being sought for this incident. On Monday, August 12th, deputies traveled to the 1000 block of Highway 19 North in an attempt to locate an individual for a previous crime. A “Consent to Search” the residence was granted and a 27-year old Salem woman was found hiding in a closet. She was discovered to have a warrant though the Salem Police Department. She was arrested and taken to the Dent County Jail. On Thursday, August 16th, Dent County Deputies conducted a traffic stop on Franklin Street near Highway 19. The driver, a 33-year old Salem man, was arrested on a felony Dent County warrant. He was taken to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. On Friday, August 17th, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Highway 19 near Center Street. A passenger, a 25-year old Salem man, was arrested on a felony Dent County warrant. He was taken to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. On Saturday, August 18th, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the Wal-Mart parking lot. The driver, a 19- year old Salem man, was arrested for driving while having his license suspended. He was fingerprinted, issued a summons, and released. This past Sunday, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Highway 32 West at the Scenic Rivers Taxidermy. The driver, a 61-year old Salem man, was arrested for driving while being intoxicated. He was fingerprinted, issued a summons, and released. If anyone has information regarding an ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’ Department at 729-3241.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors regular meeting was held Tuesday at the hospital library. According to Chief Financial Officer Monica Stogsdill, the hospital showed a loss from operations of $50,888 in July with an excess of expenses over revenues for the month of $45,056. Cash decreased for the month by $43,843 and days cash on hand for the hospital was reduced to 83. Stogsdill said the days in net Accounts Receivable for charges was at 58 days which is down from the 60 days last month. Stogsdill mentioned the inpatient admissions at the hospital were up in August with 78 admissions and 257 census days that included 98 swing bed days and 21 observation days. During the month, there were 774 emergency room visits, 222 ambulance runs with 157 patients being transported to the hospital, 37 surgery services, 1,445 outpatient registrations, 274 home health visits, 6,780 lab tests, 1,039 radiological procedures and 663 rehab treatments. Chief Nursing Officer Debbie Hines reported on the Quality Improvement Program and some changes will be made to where the program is now “project oriented” instead of just reporting data that may cross over into more than one department. She also reported on the HCAHPS survey from the 1st quarter of 2016 through the 3rd quarter of 2017. The Salem Hospital fell six surveys short of getting the “star rating.” The survey response rate was 32% which is about average. The hospital auxiliary will be meeting on Tuesday, September 4th at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at noon for lunch. The Hospital Foundation has announced the next “Dancing with the Salem Stars” will be held January 26th at the Salem High School Gymnasium. Chief Operating Officer Chris Strickland indicated the hospital continues to work on its community perception as new radio ads are being cut and new videos are in the process of being made. He also said the hospital will continue to attend a number of activities in the region including the Chamber Rodeo Labor Day Weekend, Community Wellness Expo on September on September 13th and more. A new billboard will be going up at the corner of Highway 72 and 32 West heading toward Licking. He indicated 20 women have already gotten mammograms from the new mammography machine and a Grand Opening date has been set for October 1st at 10:00 at the hospital. He also reported Britney Christesen, D.C. has signed a services agreement for the new Sports Medicine Program at the Salem R-80 High School. She will be at the school on Wednesdays from 2:30 until 6:00 to see student athletes. In old business, the board approved the updated Capital Purchase Policy and Purchasing Policy before approving the appointment of Judy Thompson, A.J. Seay and Ray Bruno to the 2019 Finance Committee. The board will address any by-law changes during the annual by-law review in September. They approved the purchase of a Sentec CPAP/BiPAP machine for the cardio-pulmonary department for $2,085, and they approved the erection of a new SMDH Entrance sign. It will now be 21 feet in the air on two steel posts with new lit sign faces under the SMDH current pan facing that will be used at the top of thee sign. The total cost of installation and changes came to $10,930. The board then went into closed session.

The Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday evening for their regular scheduled meeting as well as a public hearing on the personal property and real estate tax rate for 2018. At the meeting, they postponed the purchase of a sewer machine tank. The board isn’t sure if there isn’t another option other than buying a 700 gallon tank like working with a sister city to provide the sewer services, but the city does not have any agreements to that effect with other cities. The board held a public tax hearing about the proposed rate for 2018 as set by the state auditor of $0.6533 per $100 assessed valuation for real estate and personal property within the city limits. There were no public comments. The rate for 2018 is the same rate as 2017. After the consent agenda was approved, City Administrator Ray Walden told the crowd the city offices would be closed on September 3rd for Labor Day. He said the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce is holding a rodeo Labor Day Weekend and Timber Days will follow on Monday, September 3rd. Walden said the next meeting will be held September 10th. He also reported there is still an issue with the card reader and fuel pump at the airport. Part of the problem may be too slow of an Internet speed, but an attendee at the meeting said someone has been drilling under the road which may be a fiber optic cable. The city will check it out. The board approved the recommended tax rate for 2018 of $0.6533 per $100 assessed valuation for real estate and personal property, and then approved Bill #3397 creating an ordinance that set the tax levy for 2018. The board also approved Bill #3398 that added Chapter 106, a Code of Ethics for Public Officials to the municipal code book for the City of Salem. The chapter is directly from Missouri State Statutes. The board went on to approve Bill #3399 amending the annual budget for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1st, 2017. The board also approved the request from Chief Keith Steelman for the Salem Police Department to seek a Local Law Enforcement Block Grant which is a 100% funded block grant that the council must approve before it can be applied for. The grant funds will be used for equipment. The board then went into closed session where no votes were taken. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Salem Police Department released the following reports for August 7th through the 9th. On Tuesday morning, August 7th, at about 10:32, an officer was contacted at the Salem police department by a city employee for a report of stealing of city utilities. The investigation revealed the lock on a water meter had been tampered with and water had been used without authorization. The value of the water used was $26.60. The report is still under investigation. Later that same evening at 10:00, a vehicle was stopped for an equipment violation. The investigation led to the arrest of a 25-year old male from Salem for the possession of marijuana. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. At 2:31 the morning of August 8th, an officer was dispatched to Mobil in Salem in reference to a male subject trying to purchase items with a counterfeit bill. During the investigation it was determined that the male subject had sold personal items and was given the bill as payment for the items. It was also determined that the male subject had an active warrant for his arrest. The 30-year old male, from Potosi was arrested and incarcerated for the warrant. The investigation into the counterfeit bill is still under investigation. At 2:45 that same afternoon, an officer was dispatched to the St. Francois Country Sheriff’s Office in reference to a subject being held on City of Salem warrants. A 30-year old subject was arrested and taken back to Salem and incarcerated for two warrants for his arrest. That same evening at 10:43, a vehicle was stopped for an equipment violation. The investigation of the stop led to the arrest of a 22-year old male subject from St. Louis for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. The subject was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On Thursday evening, August 9th at 8:05, a vehicle was stopped for an investigative stop due to suspicious activity. The investigation led to the arrest of a 21-year old male from Salem for possession of marijuana. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. At 10:16 that same night, an officer was dispatched to the Salem Memorial Hospital in reference to a 96-hour detention and Evaluation warrant. The warrant was served and the 32-year old female from Salem was transported to Osage Beach for evaluation. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

An accident occurred Monday afternoon at 1:35 in Phelps County on Highway 68 about eight miles south of St. James that took the life of a Rolla man. According to the highway patrol report, a southbound 2005 Dodge Caravan, operated by 47-year old Richard Martin of Rolla, crossed the center line and struck a northbound 2006 Sterling box truck head on. The Sterling was driven by 51-year old Russell Eynard of O’Fallon, Missouri. Martin was pronounced dead at 7:43 Monday evening at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. According to the report, Russell Eynard was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident, while Richard Martin was not. Both vehicles were totaled in the accident. The Dodge was removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing and the Sterling was removed by C & C Towing of Rolla. The highway patrol was assisted by MODOT, the St. James Fire Department and St. James Ambulance at the scene.

Following up on a story from Monday, Texas County Sheriff Rowdy Douglas identified the murdered female as 56-year old Susan J. Campbell of Cabool. She died of multiple gunshot wounds Sunday afternoon. The person suspected of the crime was identified as 52-year old Kenneth R. Clark of Cabool, who is in critical condition from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was arrested by the state highway patrol Sunday on charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action and violation of an order of protection obtained by Campbell. He was charged Monday by Texas County Prosecutor Parke Stevens Jr. Clark was ordered to be held without bond.

The Dent County Commission gathered for their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell indicated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 6010, 6380, 6400 and 6580 while brush will be cut on county road 2490. Purcell reported a crew would be cleaning out crossover culvert pipes, performing ditch work and adding materials to county road 5520. He also said he would be attending a South Central Community Action Agency meeting today in Winona. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2160, 2590, 4020, 4280 and 6160 while brush was going to be cut on county roads 3220, 5320, 5325 and 6150. He said materials were going to be added to Dent County Road 2590 and a downed tree was removed Monday morning from county road 2120. Larson explained crews were preparing to work on the low water crossing on Dent County Road 2070. Weather permitting, work could start as early as today. Once work begins, the road will be closed and could stay closed as long as seven days. Larson said he contacted R-3 and let them know this work was being done in case that interfered with the bus routes. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended Senator Blunt’s Advisory Council last Thursday in Sedalia. Skiles said he wanted to attend to make sure that they know how important it is to keep funding the Secure Rural Schools Act and the Payments in Lieu of Taxes in this area as they provided needed funds for the many schools in his area. He also said there was discussion on improving broadband Internet access in rural areas currently underserved. Richard LaBrash, Chaplain with the American Legion Post #99, came in to let the commissioners know that the only living Medal of Honor Recipient in the State of Missouri will be in Dent County this Labor Day weekend. His name is Donald “Doc” Ballard who was a Navy hospital corpsman in the Vietnam War. He will be presenting the check to the winner of the Cross Country Race at the “Ron’s Race for a Reason” event at Flat Nasty Off-Road Park on Saturday afternoon. He will then attend a Community Welcome at Indian Trail Archery where there will be a short film presentation as well as a meet and greet with the public that will include photo opportunities. The event is open to everyone. Ballard will also be attending the opening ceremony to the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Rodeo on Saturday evening for a special veteran salute. The commission heard from attorneys Jack Garvey and Kim Lowe on the opiate Missouri Lawsuit. The commission also heard from Larry Hart from L.J. Hart and Company from St. Louis about the bonding requirements for the Justice and Jail Center. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway released her report of the regularly scheduled audit of the government of Shannon County. The audit, which received an overall rating of fair, found several areas where county officials needed to make improvements. The report found the county’s General Revenue Fund continues to be in a weak condition, with disbursements exceeding receipts in three of the last four years and an outstanding balance owed to the Special Road and Bridge Fund. In addition, county officials have not sufficiently reduced the property tax levy collected in order to meet the legal requirement of off-setting sales tax monies the county receives. The Auditor recommended that the County Commission take the necessary steps to improve the condition of the General Revenue Fund and make long-term plans to avoid future problems, as well as work with the County Clerk to reduce property tax levies to follow state law. The audit also identified the need for the County Collector to file annual settlements, so that taxes can be accounted for properly and that other county officials can verify the Collector’s accounts. Other problems in the Collector’s office included the lack of preparing bank reconciliations and lists of liabilities, the failure to maintain a running checkbook balance, and the need to make timely disbursements. Other issues found in the audit included the need for improvement in accounting controls and procedures in the Sheriff’s office; the need for the Public Administrator to implement policies to better safeguard the interests of the wards and estates for whom the Public Administrator is responsible; fiscal and administrative problems with the county’s SB40 Board; the need for improvement in county personnel policies and leave records, including addressing the appearance of a conflict of interest in which a county road and bridge employee is supervised by his brother, the Northern District Associate Commissioner; and the need to improve procedures and records to account for county property. You can review the entire audit at the www.auditor.mo.gov website.

A representative from the Veteran’s Administration will be at the American Legion Walker-Roney Post #99 this Thursday from 9:00 until 1:00 to answer questions, assist in enrollment, help with processing claims or just helping to address a specific need those veterans from Crawford, Dent, Howell, Laclede, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski, Shannon, Texas and Wright counties. This event is open to all those who served in the military branches and that includes the National Guard. If you need more information, call (573) 729-1394 or (573) 729-3710.

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the Courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was attending Senator Roy Blunt’s Agriculture Advisory Council meeting in Sedalia. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed District Two Commissioner Gary Larson to serve as Acting Presiding Commissioner. Larson and District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell explained that after substantial rainfall, like the county had on Wednesday, white rock roadways can be graded sooner than brown rock ones. Purcell said that as a result of the rain, grading would take place on Dent County Roads 5390, 5170, 6580 and 5160. He said that if time permitted, materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 5220, also known as the Quarry Road. Purcell noted that the Bunker School District had called about low hanging limbs on Dent County Roads 5610, 5615, and 5620 and his crew would be taking care of the problem. He also reported that brush would be cut on county Road 2480. Commissioner Larson reported that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 3180, 5225, 2340, 2330, 2160 and 3120, plus brush would be cut on county road 5330. He said minor welding was going to be done on the Chip & Seal repair machine before the crew was to do repairs on Dent County Roads 3233, 3230 and 3290. Larson noted that a man went to Springfield on Wednesday for a load of chip and seal oil, plus he would be preparing a newspaper ad to get bids with specifications for a pickup truck for the Road and Bridge Department and that ad would appear in next week’s edition of The Salem News. He also said he received a call from the Dent County Sheriff’s Department in reference to a downed tree on Dent County Road 2120 and his crew took care of it. Curley reported that bills were being approved by the commissioners for payment and that the last day to register for the November election is October 10th. Dent County Collector Dennis Medlock was in to make the Commissioners aware of correspondence from the Missouri Department of Conservation regarding a Vendor Payment System registration in order to receive payments for white rock spread on MDC roads at White River Trace and possibly those accessing Shawnee Mac. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 in the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident occurred Wednesday afternoon at 12:43 in Texas County on Highway 63 six miles north of Cabool that took the life of two Texas County residents. According to the highway patrol report, a southbound 2010 Dodge avenger, driven by 24-year old Bryce Ash of Houston, skidded across the roadway and struck a northbound 2017 Ford Flex, driven by 73- year old Marlyn Smith of Eunice, Missouri. A
passenger in the Dodge, 24-year old Kalena Freitas of Houston, was pronounced deceased at the scene at 1:32 pm. Bryce Ash was
pronounced deceased at Texas County Memorial Hospital at 1:40. Another passenger in the Dodge, 3-year old Brylon Ash, suffered minor injuries. Marlyn Smith suffered serious injuries, while a passenger in the Ford, 78-year old Charles Smith, suffered moderate injuries. Both
Smiths and Brylon Ash were transported by ambulance to Texas County Memorial Hospital. Both vehicles were totaled and removed from the scene by Mike Jones Auto Sales of Houston. Everyone involved in the accident was wearing seat restraints.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met Thursday night at the District Administrative offices for a public tax hearing and regular meeting. Superintendent John McColloch said the operating levy is at a state minimum of $2.75 per $100 assessed valuation and the debt service approved by voters was 45 cents per $100 assessed valuation. McColloch said the debt service could be raised to 65 cents, but McColloch said the district is able to meet it’s obligations with the 45 cents levy. In the regular meeting, Assistant Superintendent John Smith reviewed the Professional Development Days and stated this was one of the smallest group of new teachers for Tiger Training in his memory. Only nine teachers attended with four of them being 1st time teachers. The principals gave their reports that showed William Lynch Elementary had a total of 250 students on the first day with 110 of them in Kindergarten, while the Upper Elementary had a total of 353 students on the first day. The Middle School enrollment stands at 215 students and the Senior High report showed a total of 598 students on the first day. All the principals reported the Open Houses were well attended by parents and guardians. The Board Student Liaison Mackenzie Whitaker said 40 parking spaces were sold this year totaling over $800 that the students can paint. The board approved the Annual Secretary of the Board Report and also approved the operating levy of $2.75 per $100 assessed valuation and another 45 cents per $100 assessed valuation for a total of $3.20. The board went on to approve the Dent County Development Preschool Lease at the old Salem Public Library building for $12,600 for the year. This money is reimbursed to the school by the state. The board approved the purchase of a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado pickup for the new Construction Trades Program from Heavin Motors for $18,500. The money for the truck comes from private funds. The board heard from McKinstry that the restrooms at the football field can no longer be used due to a collapsed sewer line. For the football season this year, portable toilets will be available, but a golf cart will also be available to take people to the gym to use the restroom. GVH Construction will build a new 34 by 20 foot restroom building that will feature six commodes for the ladies and two commodes and four urinals for the men with a metal roof and heaters. They will also be installing six rooftop A/C units on the gym for air conditioning where the units can operate independently for better temperature control. The cost of the project is $665,400.00 and it will be completed by December 31st. There is some question as to whether the school has enough electric available for this addition and McKinstry should know after monitoring the school usage for about a week. The board then went into closed session.

An accident happened in Dent County at 7:10 Wednesday morning on Route H near Dent County Road 2400. According to the highway patrol report, a 2016 Chevy Malibu driven westbound by 61-year old Eva Lewis of Salem, began to slide on wet pavement, crossed the centerline and traveled off the left side of the roadway where the Malibu struck a mailbox. The Malibu continued forward and traveled down a steep embankment and overturned. Lewis suffered minor injuries and was transported to the Salem Memorial District Hospital by the Salem Hospital Ambulance. Lewis was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The 2016 Chevy Malibu was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will hold a tax rate hearing at 5:50 this evening followed by the regular board meeting at 6:00 at the Salem District Administrative Offices Boardroom. At the meeting, the board will hear from Superintendent John McColloch about Professional Development Days before the principals from all the schools will give their reports on open houses and the first day of school. The school board will review and approve the annual Secretary of the Board’s report, discuss the proposed tax rate from the hearing held prior to the regular meeting, approve the Dent County Developmental Preschool Lease, consider a truck purchase for the Construction Trades Program an consider a construction bid for the Phase 10 Project. The board will then go into closed session to discuss personnel. The Salem R-80 Board of Education meeting for Thursday will start with the tax rate hearing at 5:50 followed by the regular board meeting at the District Administrative Office and both are open to the public.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a semi-pro rodeo, sanctioned by MRCA/URA and produced by Outlaw Rodeo Productions this Labor Day weekend at the Commons on Highway 72 North. On Saturday, September 1st and Sunday, September 2nd beginning at 7:30 each night, you can watch the spirit of the Old West come alive with events such as team roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and the all-time crowd favorite, bull riding! Saturday night is also Red, White and Blue Night in honor of our Veterans. Advanced tickets are available at The Bank of Salem, Town and Country Bank, Riverways Federal Credit Union, Progressive Ozark Bank and the Salem Chamber office at 200 S Main. Prices are $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 5-11. If you have any questions, or would like to become a vendor, contact Tabatha at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce at 729-6900.

Today is the first day of school in Dent County and the Missouri State Highway Patrol reminds drivers this brings a change in traffic patterns as school buses will be back on the road and parents will be taking their children to school. Add this to the other motorists on the road and it could affect the morning and afternoon commute. It is critical for drivers to be alert, especially near school zones, playgrounds, and bicycle paths. Whatever route you drive, expect this additional traffic and prepare by allowing extra time to reach your destination. In 2017, five people were killed and 401 people were injured in 869 traffic crashes involving school buses. Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about riding a bus, walking, or driving to school in a safe manner. They should remind their children not to be on their cell phone while driving. Texting is against the law for anyone under the age of 22. Distractions are one of the major causes of traffic collisions with young people before and after school. Missouri law states that on a two-lane road, if a school bus is stopped and displaying warning signals while loading or unloading children, drivers must stop when meeting and following the bus. However, it is only necessary to stop on a four-lane highway when following the bus. Drivers, when you see a stopped school bus, stay alert and follow the law. Children may not be aware of traffic and dart unexpectedly into the roadway.

Labor Day weekend brings a surge of travel across the nation. During the summer’s last holiday many will make the conscious mistake of driving impaired. Getting arrested could be the least of your worries. An impaired driving arrest could cost you thousands of dollars in fines, court costs and lawyer fees, not to mention you could also lose your license, lose your job or even take someone’s life! This year’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” high-visibility crackdown will run this Friday, August 17th through the Labor Day holiday on September 3rd. Statewide, law enforcement made 242 driving while being intoxicated arrests, 27 driving under the influence drug arrests and 23 minors in possession arrests during this campaign last year. In 2017, 196 people were killed and 605 seriously injured in Missouri crashes that involved at least one substance-impaired driver. We are all a part of the solution. To learn more about impaired driving and how you can Arrive Alive, visit saveMOlives.com.

The “Fall’s-a-Comin” Art Party will be held this Friday evening from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Creative arts Center behind the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center. For $25 per person, adults can paint a fun autumn scene and put their own creative spin on it. All supplies are provided including the acrylic paints, aprons, brushes, canvas and easel. Danielle Norris will lead the class. Make your reservation by calling 247-0279 t pay your registration and secure your spot

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said crews were out checking culverts to make sure they were free of debris before the anticipated rain this week. Purcell stated ditch work was being done on Dent County Road 4253 and materials were being added to the road as well. He mentioned brush cutting was being done on county road 2470 and fiber optic cable is being run under county road 2400 as the company will be drilling under the chip and seal to run the cable. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 2120, 4040, 4285 and 4310 while brush would be cut on county road 5280. He said a crew was taking care of some downed trees on county road 4050 and some other men were working on the brush cutter. Larson said men would also be backsloping on county road 3200 to help with drainage after a fence was removed. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles attended a Transportation Advisory Committee meeting Thursday and they discussed the fuel sales tax issue in November that will increase the fuel tax ten cents over four years. They said that year-to date the fatalities statewide are up 35% over last year. Skiles said he was re-elected the chairman of the External Relations Committee and they discussed the upcoming legislative priorities and annual banquet. Skiles reported on the MRPC Board meeting where through the Central Workforce Development Board, St. James High School students are learning about manufacturing up close through businesses in the St. James area. Skiles said there are plenty of manufacturing jobs available through the Central Missouri Workforce Development Board and if anyone is interested, they should contact Sue Nardi at the Salem Community Center@The Armory for more information. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported the last day to register to vote for the General Election will be October 10th. If you need to update your voter registration information, please get in touch with her office at 729-4144. At the bid opening for the Justice and Jail Center Project held Thursday afternoon at the Bank of Salem Courtesy Room, bids were opened for general construction, food service equipment, laundry equipment, DEC, elevator, fire suppression and electrical. No decisions were made as Construction Manager Nick Smith from Septagon and the commissioners will review all the bids received. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse.

The Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMD) is accepting grant applications for the 2019 grant round and they are due by noon on Friday, August 24th. Projects must be located or benefit the Ozark Rivers district, which includes the counties of Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. Grants are available to city and county governments, businesses, schools, nonprofit organizations and other interested parties to increase waste reduction, reuse and recycling rates in our district. A complete listing of priorities and target materials is included in the grant application and available online. The grant dollars awarded by Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District comes through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and represent a portion of the landfill tipping fees collected in the district. The grant application is available online at www.ozarkrivers.org. For more information, contact Jill Hollowell at jhollowell@meramecregion.org or call (573) 265-2993.

Elvis Tribute Artist Michael Florence will be participating in the semi-finals of the “Image of the King” contest in Memphis, Tennessee this Thursday, August 16th. Known as Sean Michael, Florence qualified for the semi finals in the preliminary round held Monday at the New Daisy Theatre in Memphis. The finals for the “Image of the King” contest will be held this Thursday evening, August 16th. Florence will also be singing this Saturday in Memphis to benefit St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Congratulations Michael!

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department reports that 48-year old Janice L. Bote of Salem, and 60-year old William E. Martin of Salem have each been charged with felony counts of being an accessory to the delivery of a controlled substance and for also being an accessory to unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. The charges came from the result of a short term narcotics investigation held Sunday by the South Central Drug Task Force and the Dent County Sheriff’s Office in the 400 block of East First Street in Salem. The charges are a result of officers finding 5.5 grams of meth in Martin’s pocket, two glass meth pipes were found in a bedroom and an orange container that contained syringes and spoons was also located in a closet. A digital scale that police suspect was being used for distribution was found in Martin’s car. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Salem Police Department assisted with the case. Bond for Bote and Martin was set at $20,000 cash only.

The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks will be holding a blood drive in Salem this Friday at the Salem Memorial District Hospital from 9:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon. Supplies of all blood types right now are near normal levels, but demand will increase with the Labor day holiday looming in the near future. Those who donate blood at the event will receive a free T-shirt with a great summer message. To be eligible to give blood, a person must weigh 110 pounds, be in good health and bring with them a photo ID. If you need more information about the blood drive, please contact Jodie Gorman at 729-6626.