Local News

Mayor Greg Parker called a special meeting of the Board of Alderman for Thursday evening at 6:00 in the old City Hall Auditorium located at 202 N. Washington Street. After roll call and approval of the agenda they will go into closed session pursuant to Section 610.021. Then they will adjourn.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors held their meeting Tuesday evening at the fire station.  Roll call was taken followed by the approval of the consent agenda and minutes of the March meeting. Bills, payments, and statements were reviewed and approved, followed by the budget review and approval. The monthly reimbursement report was presented showing a total of 44 calls for the month and 100 year-to-date. Thirty-one of the calls were for various fires, while other calls included 4 medical assist, 2 motor vehicle accidents, and 2 other types of incidents. In old business Director Price stated the DCFPD board wanted to thank all that voted for Prop Fire and all the hard work from everyone involved. In new business CD Investments, Director Stokes reported on CD interest rates. Town & Country had the best rate on a 7-month Term CD of 4.37%. A motion was made to invest $30,000.00 in the Term CD was seconded and carried. In the chief’s report Chief Floyd presented a bid from Hoffcomp for turnout gear at $3,619.00 per person for a total of $ 10, 857.00 for 3 sets. The board asked for more bids. The goal is to bring turnout gear up to 2 per firefighter to comply with NFPA guidelines. The Chief also presented a bid for a skid unit for $23,995.00. He is currently waiting on more bids to come in. The date for the next meeting was set for Wednesday May 14th at 6:00 at DCFPD. Motion was made to go into closed session. In closed session James Hodges was interviewed, and a roll call vote was held to accept Hodges as a Probationary Firefighter with the department. The motion carried for acceptance.

The Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) is an outgrowth of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks in Springfield. The regional affiliate was formed in 2010. Its 12-member board includes representation from each of the eight Meramec counties and from MRPC. Jared Niederer of Gasconade County serves as chairman of MRCF. Recently board vacancies were filled in Crawford, Dent and Phelps counties. Roger Louderman of Bourbon will serve as the Crawford County representative; Ray Walden of Salem will fill the open Dent County slot, and Phelps County Associate Commissioner Sherry Stites will represent Phelps County on the board. Currently, MRCF has 50 funds totaling over $4.4 million. The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is a public foundation serving the Missouri Ozarks. The foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in the region through resource development, community grant-making, collaborations and public leadership. Formed in 1973, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks has since grown to include 55 affiliate community foundations and more than 3,500 charitable funds totaling approximately $526 million in assets, as of March 2025. MRCF was the first affiliate fund in 2010. The MRPC, in addition to establishing the regional foundation and providing the initial investment to create a grant program, provides staff support to MRCF. For more information about MRCF, contact Bonnie Prigge at bprigge@meramecregion.org or call 573-265-2993.

A municipal election was held yesterday, in Dent County. A total of 991 voters cast their ballots for 15.32% of the 6,470 registered voters. Below are are the unofficial results of challenged races for Dent county:            * Indicates winners 

BUNKER R-III SCHOOL DIRECTORS: 

Nancy Amaral* 29 votes
Brandon Houston 8 votes
Kenneth Cook 14 votes
Ashlee Ingold 13 votes
David Hill Jr. 13 votes

DENT COUNTY FPD BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Leigh Ann Price 510 votes
Elizabeth A. Gruendel 397 votes
Jeff Stokes Jr.* 527 votes
John Knight 452 votes

DENT COUNTY FPD PROPOSITION FIRE

Yes* 576 votes
No 329 votes 

SALEM EASTWARD ALDERMAN-2 YEAR TERM

Rick Letchworth* 159 votes 

SALEM EAST WARD ALDERMAN – UNEXPIRED TERM

Nathan Kinsey* 107 votes
Steve Evrard 84 votes

SALEM WEST WARD ALDERMAN 

Roger Brooks 95 votes
John Whelan* 111 votes
Brent Klapperich 39 votes

The City of Salem’s Utility Committee Chair Alderwoman Catherine Dent has called a meeting for this evening at 6:15 at the Old City Hall Auditorium. After the Roll Call and Approval of the Agenda will be the approval of the minutes of the March 12th meeting. Reports will be presented on Billing Updates and Work reports from Utility Crews. The Draft Budget for electric will be reviewed followed by electric rate review. The Draft Budget for water will be reviewed followed by water rate review. The meeting will then be adjourned. The meeting of the City of Salem’s Utility Committee is open to the public. 

The Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) is an outgrowth of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks in Springfield. The regional affiliate was formed in 2010. Its 12-member board includes representation from each of the eight Meramec counties and from MRPC. Jared Niederer of Gasconade County serves as chairman of MRCF. Recently board vacancies were filled in Crawford, Dent and Phelps counties. Roger Louderman of Bourbon will serve as the Crawford County representative; Ray Walden of Salem will fill the open Dent County slot, and Phelps County Associate Commissioner Sherry Stites will represent Phelps County on the board. Currently, MRCF has 50 funds totaling over $4.4 million. The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is a public foundation serving the Missouri Ozarks. The foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in the region through resource development, community grant-making, collaborations and public leadership. Formed in 1973, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks has since grown to include 55 affiliate community foundations and more than 3,500 charitable funds totaling approximately $526 million in assets, as of March 2025. MRCF was the first affiliate fund in 2010. The MRPC, in addition to establishing the regional foundation and providing the initial investment to create a grant program, provides staff support to MRCF. For more information about MRCF, contact Bonnie Prigge at bprigge@meramecregion.org or call 573-265-2993.

Major Adam Carnal, Media Contact with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, has provided an update concerning the investigation of the Sunday afternoon shooting. The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the shooting incident that occurred on Highway WW. Major Canal confirmed that one individual is deceased, and another person is in custody in connection with this incident. The scene remains secure, and there is no ongoing threat to the public. Canal said he understands the community’s concern and are committed to providing accurate and timely updates. Further information will be released from their office today as the investigation continues and more details become available. He asks for the public’s patience and cooperation during this time.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said crews would be out repairing Dent County Roads 5130, 5150, 5170, 5610, 5615, and 5630 by adding materials and doing spot grading. These repairs are meant to get the roads passable, and any further repairs will be made once the bad roads have been addressed. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said his crew would be out repairing holes on county roads 3210, 3260 and 3370. He said crews would be out checking other roads and repairing those that were damaged the most by the rain. Williams said many of these repairs may be temporary to get the roads passable. Both commissioners asked the public to be patient, but the work crews will get to all the roads, but they will address the roads with the most damage first. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he will personally repair the torn carpet on the back steps to the courthouse. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the polls will be open today from 6:00 this morning until 7:00 tonight and bring your ID when you go to vote. If you have questions, call her office at 573-729-4144. Curley said nine people voted absentee on Saturday in her office. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk gave the turnover report for the month of March to the commissioners which said her office collected $175,131.64. Those funds have been distributed to the proper tax entities. At the last meeting, City of Salem Building Code Officer Jarrod Brown checked the courthouse staircase and will review the codes for the addition of a chairlift to the staircase to go to the second floor. Also, Dent County Coroner Ben Pursifull came in to talk with the commissioners about his autopsy budget and the cost of autopsies. Normally he has about 10 to 12 autopsies a year and he already has had four. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Chapter of “Sleep in Heavenly Peace” will be holding their next meeting this evening from 5:30 to 6:30 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory’s Rotary Room. All volunteers are welcome and there are many ways to get involved. If you are not familiar with what they do, they are an international non-profit 501(C)(3) organization that builds, assembles and delivers new beds to children in need who do not have a bed. Anyone can apply for a child on the SHPbeds.org website. TO help, monetary donations can be made to “Sleep in Heavenly Peace – MISSOURI-DENT Co.” Donations of bedding and tools are also accepted. All donations are tax deductible. For more information about “Sleep in Heavenly Peace,” contact Patti at 703-964-6495. You can also e-mail Patti at patti.mckeown@shpbeds.org.

A new study found Missouri is the No. 11 cheapest state to start a business, an important revelation for small business owners deciding where to set up shop amid growing economic uncertainty. The 10 cheapest states are in the West or Midwest as many levy no corporate taxes and have fewer regulations. The two most expensive states are California and New York due to higher taxes, wages, rents and regulations. Simplify LLC released a study on the Most and Least Expensive States to Start a Business in 2025 using the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve of St. Louis, Tax Foundation, and the Energy Information Administration. The rankings were determined by analyzing nine key factors in all 50 states and D.C. including taxes, labor costs, commercial rent and utilities, regulations, lending, and more. Key Findings making Missouri the No. 11 Cheapest State. Missouri offers a 4% corporate tax (#10 tied) and keeps commercial rent at $15.25 per square foot (#14), all the while navigating 94,260 regulations (#16). Electricity costs average $617.71 (#19), wages average $61,708 (#20) and labor force participation is 63.9% (#22). The state’s score is brought down slightly by more expensive LLC filing fees ($105, #29) and a lower SBA loan total of $7.98 million per 100,000 (#30). The study found that the 10 Cheapest States were Utah, South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Nebraska, Kansas, Nevada, and North Dakota.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said crews would be out checking roads for washouts and other damages and do patching where needed in anticipation of more heavy rain Friday and Saturday. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said his crew would be out checking roads and repairing those that were damaged the most and putting orange cones out on roads that have some damage that are still passable that crews can’t get to knowing that more heavy rain is anticipated that could do further damage to those roads. He also said a crew had to remove a downed tree. Commissioner Gary Larson said he did not have to attend the Solid Waste Advisory Board meeting Wednesday in Jefferson City. He had nothing else to report. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the unexcused and excused absentee voting for the Municipal Election continues at the courthouse. Her office will be open this Saturday morning from 8:00 until 12:00 noon to vote absentee or update your voter registration, and the last day to vote absentee will be Monday, April 7th from 8:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon. She also said the polling locations at Green Forest R-2 and Dent-Phelps R-3 will not be open due to no elections for those school boards or issues. The polls will be open Tuesday, April 8th from 6:00 in the morning until 7:00 that evening, and bring your ID when go to vote. Curley said her office balanced with the treasurer on all accounts for the month of March, and her office also balanced with the assessor and collector on all collections, abatements and add-ons for March. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk said she has passed out 47 applications for the “Senior Real Estate Property Tax Relief Program” so far with no online applications, and 11 of those applications have been returned and submitted for approval. Applications are available at her office along with a “Frequently Asked Question” sheet. She said people who want to apply will need to have an ID which could be a driver’s license, your voter registration or passport; a copy of your deed from the recorder’s office of which there is no charge if needed for this application, or you can have the recorder list the book and page number your deed is recorded in on the application; and you will need a copy of your paid tax receipt which the collector can also provide. All applications will NOT have to be signed by a notary, but they will need to be signed in front of and witnessed by a county official.  These applications will need to be submitted by June 30th to qualify for the property tax relief this year. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse, the meeting is open to the public.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is now accepting entries for its annual photo contest. Winning entries will be featured on the department’s website and social media platforms. The deadline to submit photos is September 1st. Entries can include images from anywhere in Missouri, featuring beautiful natural resources, unique state parks and historic sites, outdoor recreation, weather, wildlife and people enjoying the outdoors. Contestants can submit entries in the following categories: Natural Resources: Photographs of Missouri’s air, landscapes and waterways. Unique Places: Photographs taken within one of Missouri’s state parks and historic sites. People Enjoying Missouri’s Outdoors: Photographs of people enjoying and exploring Missouri’s great outdoors. Judges will choose first, second, third and honorable mention winners for each category. For more information or to submit photos, visit dnr.mo.gov/photo-contest. Please send questions about the photo contest to socialmedia@dnr.mo.gov.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports from March 22nd through the 27th. On March 22nd, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 4500 block of South Highway 19. During the course of the stop, a 29-year-old Salem woman was arrested on an outstanding warrant. She was transported to the Dent County Jail where she posted bond. The next day, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Dent County Road 5085. During the course of the stop, a 38-year-old Salem man and a 46-year-old Steelville man were both arrested on multiple charges, including narcotics offenses. Both men were taken to the Dent County Jail where they were placed on a 24-hour hold. On Monday, March 24th, deputies responded to the 5200 block of Route O for a reported stealing complaint. The victim told deputies that money had been removed from the location without permission. That investigation is ongoing. That same day, deputies responded to the 700 block of Dent County Road 3210 to assist a Missouri Department of Revenue Investigator with the recovery of a stolen vehicle. Also on Monday, the 24th, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Dent County Road 6150. During the course of the stop, a 23-year-old Salem man and a 26-year-old Salem woman were arrested. They were both transported to the Dent County Jail. That investigation is ongoing. On Thursday, March 27th, deputies took a report of a Violation of Order of Protection. The victim, a 48-year-old Salem woman, advised deputies that she was being harassed by her estranged husband, a 48-year-old Rolla man. That investigation continues. If anyone has any information regarding an ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 573-729-3241.

An accident happened in Crawford County Tuesday morning at 10:25 on Route BB just north of Vance Lane. According to the highway patrol report, a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu driven southbound by an 18-year-old man from Steelville, traveled off the right side of the roadway, then overcorrected and went off the left side of the roadway where the Malibu struck a ditch. The man suffered serious injuries and was transported by the Steelville Ambulance to the Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan. The man was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Chevy was totaled and removed from the scene by Miles and Sons Towing.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites people to celebrate the value of Missouri trees and forests during Arbor Days in April by planting native trees and practicing proper tree care. Missouri Arbor Day for 2025 is Friday, April 4th. Missouri has been observing the state’s official Arbor Day on the first Friday in April since 1886 when the General Assembly declared that day be set aside for the appreciation and planting of trees. National Arbor Day is recognized on the last Friday of April, which is April 25. Get information on backyard tree care, including types of trees for urban and other landscapes, selecting the right tree for the right place, planting tips, watering and pruning info, at mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/tree-care. The MDC George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking offers a variety of low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, and wildlife food and cover. Orders are accepted to April 15th. For more information, visit mdc.mo.gov/seedlings. Missouri forests cover about one-third of the state and provide outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, natural beauty, and watersheds for stream and rivers. Spending time in Missouri forests can provide a natural health benefit, too. Exposure to nature contributes to physical well-being, reducing blood pressure and heart rate, relieving stress, and boosting energy levels. Get more information at mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/forest-care.

At the Dent County Commission meeting Monday morning, Beverly Irons with the 42nd Judicial Circuit Court was in attendance to see what progress the commission had made on installing a chairlift to the courthouse on the second floor. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said they have talked with Custom Home Elevators of St. Louis, and they indicated the cost would be about $6,800 per flight, but they were not sure that it would adhere to the City of Salem building codes. Larson said they are waiting for City Building Inspector Jared Brown to check out the staircase to make sure the chairlift would comply. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2480, while only grading would be done on Dent County Roads 4080 and 5610. He said other crew members were assisting District 2 by hauling rock to the Conservation Department roads. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said workers would be adding rock and grading Dent County Road 2540 which is a Conservation Department Road, as well as grading county roads 3185 and 3190. Williams also said a crew would be checking out a concern on Dent County Road 3260. Commissioner Larson said he is scheduled to attend a Solid Waste Advisory Board meeting Wednesday in Jefferson City. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the unexcused and excused absentee voting for the Municipal Election is now available at the courthouse. Her office will be open Saturday morning from 8:00 until 12:00 noon, and the last day to vote absentee will be Monday, April 7th until 5:00 PM. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk said the SB190 “Homestead Credit” application is now available in her office where you can pick one up and take it home. She said you can also find the application on Dent County Portal where you can print off the application from home. All applications will NOT have to be signed by a notary, but they will need to be signed in front of and witnessed by a county official be it the collector, county clerk, commissioner, etc. VanKirk said there is a question-and-answer section on the portal and she said she would include it with every application picked up. The application will need to be submitted by June 30th. Brian Boyce and Jeff Banderet from Great Rivers Engineering were in attendance. Boyce told the commission that if they need to get drivers CDL trained, the county can do it themselves at a cost of $200 per person rather than send someone to a commercial CDL training facility which could cost the individual or county from $3,000 to $5,000 dollars. The commission said they are in good shape now as they have had little turnover but will definitely take advantage of that training when they need a new operator or driver without a CDL. Banderet talked about the TAP grant for the new sidewalks around the courthouse and said the plan was to use the existing light poles, but the city said the poles are eroding and cannot be reused. Banderet said the county should try to use the same type of light pole the city is using with their downtown project. He will check to see how many poles would be needed but believes it should only take four. The commission said they would get with the city on this as the light poles are actually the city’s and see if they can work something out with them on cost. The commission will also find out if the city plans on burying the new electric service to the courthouse or plans on keeping them elevated and sending them to a wood pole as that may interfere with the proposed TAP sidewalk and retaining wall. Commissioner Larson did ask that the one diagonal sidewalk on the south side to the front door be added back into the TAP plan and Banderet said that could be done. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees met Thursday evening, March 20th at 5:00. Administrator Zach Moser presented the Service and Statistics report for the month of February. In the Communicable Disease Report, he stated there were no cases of COVID-19 reported, while there were 46 active lead cases, 147 Influenza A cases exceeding January’s number of 84, which both of which are the highest numbers since December of 2022, one animal bite report, and there were 8 screenings for sexually transmitted infections, resulting in 10 total tests. The February environmental report by Assistant Administrator Roma Jones showed there where 5 total inspections conducted, no recalls, no sewer complaints, and no environmental questions were fielded. The Maternal-Child Health (MCH) statistics showed there was one car seat distributed, no CPR Courses, no consultations for Childcare Health, one Show-Me Healthy Women appointments, no Title X appointments were reported, there was one Presumptive Eligibility (Temporary Medicaid), and 334 WIC appointments. The Community-Specific Services Summary showed 358 total appointments other than WIC, 155 total provider appointments, 90 treatment court visits, 165 lab appointments and 33 immunization appointments. Nurse Practitioner Service Details showed was one Show-Me Healthy Women appointment, 5 family plannings, 1 well-child visit, 16 online appointments, 3 other well-woman exams, 2 other physicals, no SEMO physicals, 16 other visits, and 66 acute illness appointments. Physician Service Details showed no well-visits, no online appointments, one other physical, no SEMO Physicals, 14 other visits, and 42 acute illness visits. Laboratory details showed 138 individual patients, 34 appointments for Rapid Test for COVID, Flu, RSV or Strep, pregnancy tests were not reported, and there were 16 lead tests reported. Phlebotomy Appointments totaled 115, while all Lab Appointments totaled 165. Immunizations for February totaled 6 for COVID-19, 7 for Influenza, and 69 other vaccines given for a total of 82 total doses given during 33 total appointments. In the Administrator’s report, Moser reported that the Health Center would conduct a Health Fair May 2nd, plus he reported on the Community Health Assessment meeting with community leaders held March 12th. He shared the report from Jessica Ricks, MPH, Population Health Director, on the CHA visioning meeting. The draft survey questions were shared and a timeline for the rest of the project was laid out. Moser updated the Board on the audit which was moving into the “Single Audit” portion. The lease agreement with the Dent County Soil and Water Conservation District was shared, followed by the consideration of proposals from Family Trash Service and GFL for waste collection. DCHC financials for February were reviewed, discussed, and approved. Zach shared the draft of the DCHC Annual Report and the Mutual Aid Resolution 2025-01, which was adopted by the Board. The next regular meeting of the Board was set for Thursday, April 17th, 2025, at 5:00.

The City of Salem Utility Committee convened for a special meeting last Wednesday evening at 6:15  in the Old City Hall Auditorium, to review proposed amendments to the utility policy. The recommended changes encompassed several key updates, including: clarifying office closure protocols to explicitly define closures approved by the Mayor and Board President, revising deposit information to align with the current details on the City of Salem’s website, and addressing minor grammatical inconsistencies. These proposed modifications are intended to enhance the clarity and precision of the Utility Policies.

An accident occurred in Dent County Thursday morning at 7:33 on Highway 72 in front of Salem Memorial Hospital. According to the Highway Patrol report a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, driven by a 26-year-old female from Cuba, Missouri, turned into the path of a 2023 Nissan Rogue, operated by a 64-year-old man from Poplar Bluff. The driver of the Chevrolet suffered minor injuries and was transported by Salem Police to Salem Memorial Hospital. A passenger in the Nissan, a 54-year-old Poplar Bluff female, suffered minor injuries and was transported by Salem Ambulance to SMH. The report stated that all occupants of the two vehicles were wearing safety restraints. Both vehicles were totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing. The Highway Patrol was assisted by the Salem Police Department and the Dent County Sheriff’s Office.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said grading will be done on Dent County Roads 4080, 5650 and 6305, and other workers will be assisting District 2 crews by bringing them rock for work on Missouri Department of Conservation roads. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said rock will be added and grading will be done on Dent County Road 2500, while only grading will be done on county roads 3180, 3200 and 4380. Williams said a blade would be changed out on Grader #40. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson stated he attended the Meramec Regional Community Foundation meeting Tuesday where the board heard about two grants being awarded by the MRCF, plus they were updated on the damages in Phelps County from the tornadoes. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported the excused and non-excused absentee voting for the Municipal Election continues through April 7th. Curley said her office will be open for absentee voting on Saturday, April 5th from 8:00 in the morning until 12:00 noon. She also wanted to remind the public the testing of the voting equipment will be held Tuesday, April 1st at 9:00. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk was in to let the commission know the paper applications for the Homestead Tax Credit would be ready by and available in her office Tuesday, April 1st. There are still some tweaks being done to file the application online and she would update the commission Monday on that progress. VanKirk wanted to remind the public that only those who are 62-years of age and older as of January 1st can apply for the Homestead Tax Credit. The applications are free and if you have any questions, please contact Collector Shannon VanKirk at 573-729-3911. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

A resurfacing project is scheduled to begin this week in Phelps and Dent counties. A contract was awarded to Willard Asphalt Paving Inc. to resurface on Route H from U.S. Route 63 in Phelps County to Missouri Route 72 in Dent County. During this ongoing construction, the routes will be narrowed to a single lane with flaggers and a pilot car to direct traffic through the work zone. All work is projected to be complete by the end of May 2025. A total of 30.5 miles will be resurfaced. MoDOT is asking all motorists to work with them by buckling up, putting your phone down, obeying all traffic signs, and slowing down and moving over in work zones. Motorists are advised to use extra caution through work zones, obey all traffic signs, and avoid any distractions. For traffic updates or other transportation-related matters, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or visit our Traveler Information Map. Information is also available 24/7 via social media.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen convened for their regular meeting on Tuesday at 6:00 PM in the Old City Hall Auditorium, located at 202 N. Washington Street. Following the call to order, the Board approved the meeting agenda after removing the airport gate bid approval item. Tim Dotson, representing the Sonlight Riders Local Chapter, presented a request to close 4th Street between Highway 19th and Iron Street for their annual bike show. The Board approved the street closure request; the event is scheduled for August 23rd from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The Board also approved Resolution No. 10-2025, authorizing a bid for playground tile repair from All Inclusive Rec, LLC. The total project cost is $305,488.22, to be paid from the prior year’s fund balance, which currently stands at $591,143.00. At this time, the potential for FEMA reimbursement remains uncertain. Public Works Director Steve Paine presented Resolution No. 11-2025 for the procurement of Wastewater Treatment Plant Aerator Power Panels from Aesthetik Electric, at a total cost of $53,655.00. The panels are essential for maintaining appropriate oxygen levels in the overflow catch basin. The City of Salem intends to pursue FEMA reimbursement for this expenditure. Additionally, he also presented a bid addressing the procurement of aircraft fuel for the Salem Municipal Airport. The City received a sole bid from Naegler Oil of Springfield for 2,900 gallons of fuel at $3.99 per gallon, resulting in a total cost of $11,583.47. The Board subsequently approved the resolution and accompanying request. Resolution No. 9-2025 authorizing the City of Salem to enter into a service agreement with Hometown Grid, through the Missouri Electric Commission for software and outage reporting services was approved. The agreement involves an initial investment of approximately $10,000 for the first year, with additional costs of $7,008 projected over the subsequent four years. The City will draw the upfront costs from prior years’ reserves. Future expenses will be strategically incorporated into the city’s budget and rate calculations. The Board unanimously passed Ordinance Bill Numbers 3649, 3650, and 3651, which will amend the Clean Air Sections within the City of Salem’s Code of Ordinances, and Bill Number 3652, which authorizes a time extension change order for the ongoing Salem Sidewalk Improvements Project with Donald Maggi, Inc. After the reports of city officials, the meeting adjourned to executive session to discuss personnel. 

Healthy Dent County would like to invite everyone out to the fun community event, the “Non-Newlywed Game.” You won’t want to miss this event. It is couple vs. couple in this hilarious version of the classic game show where you will discover just how much our couples know (or don’t know) about their spouse! This fundraising event will be held on Friday evening, April 4th at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory beginning at 6:30. Four local married couples have been selected to play the game including Austin and Julia Wulff; Cameron and April Greener; Zach and Mary Moser, and Dylan and Kala Sisco. These couples have graciously volunteered their time to play this fun game and entertain the audience. VIP sponsored tables can be reserved with a $300 donation. The VIP Tables include reserved seating, and light refreshments. A limited number of individual tickets will be sold for $25 per ticket. The individual tickets will not have reserved seating. Last year this event sold out with tickets not being available at the door. A concession stand and cash bar will be open during the evening. Get your tickets now by calling 573-729-8163 or dropping by the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Healthy Dent County is a local non-profit that is dedicated to providing opportunities to improve health and quality of life by partnering with our community.