Local News

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the Dent County Courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was attending a Listening Post at the US Forest Service facility. Assistant Dent County Clerk Crystal Pilkington appointed District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell as acting Presiding Commissioner. Salem Mayor Brad Nash and City Attorney Camm Seay were in to update the Commission on a small change to the Memorandum of Understanding relative to Iron Street. The Aldermen wanted an addition to the MOU that Iron Street would revert back to the City of Salem if the street was not used for the Justice Center. Both Purcell and District One Commissioner Gary Larson indicated they saw no problem with the change. Nash indicated he had discussed the change with Commissioner Skiles. Seay said that the change would be noted to Dent County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Curley and that an ordinance finalizing the transaction would be presented at the next City Council Meeting. In the road report Commissioner Purcell said that grading would be done and materials would be added to Dent County Roads 5420, 5410 and 6280. He said that Monday he attended the Tourism Tax Board meeting where three proposals were approved, one was tabled waiting for more information, and one reimbursement request was approved. Purcell noted that on Tuesday he attended the South Central Community Action Agency meeting in Winona and that the seven basic programs still have funds available for qualifiers. He said the local contact number is (573) 729-3500 and ask for Sarah. Commissioner Larson said that grading would be done and materials would be added to Dent County Road 4405, plus he had a call about trees down on Dent County Road 4380, which his crew took care of. He said he had a crew patching chip and seal on Dent County Roads 3210 and 3220. Pilkington reported that the Commissioners were approving bills for payment. John McIntyre addressed the Commissioners relative to the article in this week’s Salem News about Nuisance Properties in Dent County. McIntyre voiced his opposition to new regulations, but instead encouraged the Commissioners to work towards enforcement of existing regulations. He cited a number of states where he has lived &/or owned property and that it seemed each and every state had numerous regulations, but the enforcement of them was always lacking. Beth Frizzell, Dent County Tax Board Chair, was in to propose the selection of John Johnston for the Board. The Commissioners approved Johnston’s appointment. The next meeting of the Commission will be Monday morning in the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Police Department released their report for the month of March. During the month, they wrote two equipment repair orders, 18 summons to appear in court, six warning tickets, and 19 traffic tickets. The Salem Police Department investigated 13 accidents, one assault, two burglaries, two reports of a dog bite, four reports of domestic violence, six driving while being intoxicated reports, seven driving while having their license revoked or suspended, two fraud reports, one harassment report, and three reports of leaving the scene of an accident. The department also investigated two reports of minor in possession or intoxicants, seven reports of possession of a controlled substance, four reports of possession of drug paraphernalia, one report of property damage, and three reports of resisting or interfering with an arrest, eleven reports of stealing, one tampering report, and had two 96 hour commitments. They also served eight fugitive warrants and five city warrants. The police department received 1,280 calls for service during the month and handled 72 walk-ins to the station. They spent 20 hours in court testifying and 10 hours as court bailiff. The Salem Police Department drove a total of 8,813 miles and arrested 23 males and 9 females during the month of March.

Come to the Bonebrake Center of Nature and History tonight at 7:30 for another sky watching event. As the sky starts to darken, the focus will be on the Moon, as the craters become sharper. The line between the bright side of the Moon and darkness represents places where the Sun is rising on the Moon. In those places, there will be the most definition on the Moon’s surface. Some of the Moon’s most interesting features and craters will be on display this night. For anyone eager to take Moon photos, we’ll have a holder to help you get an impressive picture. The sky is full of interesting objects. These sky watches are always fun and handouts are provided to those attending, and you can get answers to questions, and sometimes enjoy a surprise or two! Dress for the weather and come enjoy the views and experience a tour of the sky. This program is appropriate for the whole family and will be mostly outdoors. There will be access to the house and light snacks. The suggested donation is $1.00 per person or $5.00 for the whole family, but no one will be turned away. If it appears the night sky will be too cloudy, the program will be postponed. Registrants may call or text 573-247-0279 if there is a question about possible cancellation.

Today..Cloudy with a 60% chance for rain by noon, with occasional showers this afternoon, high of 58.
Tonight..Cloudy with a 30% chance for rain, low of 49.
Tuesday..Partly sunny, high of 69.
Tuesday night..Partly cloudy, low of 47.
Wednesday..Mostly cloudy, high around 64.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education held their re-organizational meeting Tuesday at the District Administrative Offices. Re-elected board members Chris Heavin and Carrie Snider were swore in by Board Secretary Holly Erway. The board elected Bernie Sirois as the Board President, Dustin Howard as the Vice-President, and Holly Erway as Board Secretary. Larry Maxwell was elected as the MSBA delegate with the Carrie Snider elected as the MSBA alternate. The re-organizational meeting was then adjourned with the regular meeting to follow. Superintendent John McColloch gave a budget update before the building principals gave their reports. William Lynch Elementary Principal Kriste Crocker announced Kindergarten registration would be held May 8th and pre-school enrollment would be held May 16th and 17th. Children must be five years of age by August 1st to be eligible for enrollment in kindergarten and those who are three by that date are eligible for the “Tiger Tots” program. Upper Elementary Principal Melanie Wisdom announced their art show will be held April 26th and Serendipity will be held May 3rd which is a week earlier this year. Middle School Principal Scott Roberts saluted 8th grader Johnny Scott for taking 1st place and 6th grader Cooper Beeson for taking 2nd in the Trash Art category of the Earth Day Contest “Be a Hero-Your Planet Needs You” sponsored by the MRPC. He also congratulated the SMS Band for receiving a “1” rating at the St. James Music Contest on April 14th. High School Principal Marty Anderson talked about an additional 42 hours of dual credit being offered through MSU West Plans for the 2018-2019 year. He also discussed some changes to the student handbook for the next school year. The board set the tuition rate for the 2018-2019 year at $7,417.68 before approving the creation of two new school positions to be filled if the budget allows. Those positions would be a Security Resource Officer and School Psychological Examiner. The board also approved the Middle School Building Improvement Plan. The board accepted the resignation of High School English Teacher Eric Myers, 4th Grade Teacher Erin Blankenship, Upper Elementary Teacher Lori Beasley, Middle School Football coach James Joynt and High School Assistant Track Coach Natalie Sellers. The board went into closed session where they employed the coaches for the 2018-2019 season, hired Angie Loughridge for high school chemistry, Martin Gray as a high school math instructor and Scott Fredrickson for 6-12 music. The meeting was then adjourned.

Onondaga Cave State Park will host the first in a series of photography tours of Cathedral and Onondaga caves this Saturday. The Cathedral Cave tour will be from 9:00 in the morning until noon, and the Onondaga Cave tour will be from 1:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon. A member of the Onondaga Friends Association will lead the tours, showing participants the caves’ most interesting features and allowing ample time for plenty of photographs. Participants have the option to tour one or both caves on these adventures. There is a 1/3-mile hike to Cathedral Cave on the Deer Run Trail. Conditions in the caves include limited lighting, concrete walkways and metal handrails, a constant but cool temperature of 57 degrees and humidity of nearly 100 percent. Participants are encouraged to dress in layers of warm clothes and wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes or boots. No equipment will be provided for the tours, so participants should bring their own cameras and other photography gear. There is a fee associated with the photography tours and the fee and registration information is available at onondagafriends.org. Onondaga Cave State Park is located seven miles southeast of the Leasburg exit off of Interstate 44 on Route H. For more information about the event, contact the park at 573-245-6576.

Echo Bluff State Park invites the public to celebrate Earth Day by participating in the park’s annual Stream Team Cleanup event that will be held this Saturday from 10:00 in the morning until 1:00 Saturday afternoon. Participants will work with Stream Team volunteers to pick up trash and clean up flood debris along Sinking Creek. Participants are asked to meet at the check station in the park’s campground to register and pick up trash bags and gloves. There will be prizes for registered participants. Participants are welcome to float the creek, but must arrange their own shuttle transportation. For more event information and to pre-register, contact Connie Weber at 573-751-1224. Echo Bluff State Park is located on Highway 19, approximately 25 miles south of Salem. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors met for the regular meeting Tuesday evening at the hospital library. Ray Bruno was sworn in as the District 5 Board of Director by Hospital Attorney Mark Weaver. Chief Financial Officer Monica Stogsdill reported the month of March had a $20,471 gain from operations with an excess of revenues over expenses of $51,505 for the month. In March, 72 patients were admitted to the hospital as acute care patients with an average per day of 9.8. There were 13 swing bed patients and 13 more patients admitted for observation in March. The cash flow statement showed a decrease in cash of $298,063 for the month with days in accounts receivable dropping to 64 from the 71 reached the previous month. Chief Nursing Officer Debbie Hines reported that in March there were 774 emergency room visits, 279 ambulance runs with 200 patients being transported to the hospital, 1,559 outpatient registrations, 221 home health visits, 7,590 lab tests, 739 radiological procedures and 740 rehab treatments. The cash-on-hand days the hospital could operate stands at 90 days year-to-date and that is still way over the Critical Access Hospital state average of 65 days. Hines went over the Quality Improvement report for the month of March for Acute Care, Social Services and the Pharmacy. A flu update showed reported flu cases drastically down in March from February to under 40 cases. The board discussed the pros and cons of changing the hospital foundation structure and reminded everyone the golf tournament will be held June 8th. Chief Operating Officer Chris Strickland reported on the community presence and involvements of the hospital by being out in the public at the opening of trout season at Montauk, the Ladies Night Out at the Salem Community Center, attending the Missouri S&T High School Career Fair on March 27th, attending the SHS Career Fair on April 6th and also being at the Business Expo on April 14th. They have even had an ambulance at the City of Salem Soccer Program. The board also received an update on the billboard advertising before Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas reported on the hospital auxiliary meeting from April 3rd. The next meeting will be their “bring-a-friend” meeting at the Salem Community Center@The Arnory before they go on summer break. The board reviewed the patient satisfaction surveys from the Emergency Department and the SMDH Family Medicine with Emergency Department getting very good results and SMDH Family Medicine receiving outstanding positive feedback. The board approved three purchases for the Rehab Department including the purchase of a complete traction package for $6,198 from Performance Health, the purchase of a Bariatric H-Lo Table from Performance Health for $2,723, and the purchase of a Bar Activated 5 Section X-Frame Table of $2,677 from Performance Health. The board also approved the purchase of a Compression Device for Acute Replacement for $1,534, the purchase of a Blood Gas Machine for Cardio-Pulmonary from Instrumentation Laboratory for $13,500, the purchase of an EMS Manikin Head and Torso Trainer from BoundTree for $2,480, and 18 patient room heaters and air conditioners were purchased from TMI-ASG for $27,486. The board then went into closed session.

The Salem Police Department released their report for the month of March. During the month, they wrote two equipment repair orders, 18 summons to appear in court, six warning tickets, and 19 traffic tickets. The Salem Police Department investigated 13 accidents, one assault, two burglaries, two reports of a dog bite, four reports of domestic violence, six driving while being intoxicated reports, seven driving while having their license revoked or suspended, two fraud reports, one harassment report, and three reports of leaving the scene of an accident. The department also investigated two reports of minor in possession or intoxicants, seven reports of possession of a controlled substance, four reports of possession of drug paraphernalia, one report of property damage, and three reports of resisting or interfering with an arrest, eleven reports of stealing, one tampering report, and had two 96 hour commitments. They also served eight fugitive warrants and five city warrants. The police department received 1,280 calls for service during the month and handled 72 walk-ins to the station. They spent 20 hours in court testifying and 10 hours as court bailiff. The Salem Police Department drove a total of 8,813 miles and arrested 23 males and 9 females during the month of March.

The Salem High School Quiz Bowl Team took First Place in District Play on Saturday. Salem dominated play for most of the tournament before facing off against Licking in the finals round. Three Salem players were awarded Outstanding Individual Player medals. Richard Parks took home Second Place Individual medal, Sam Swindell took home the Third Place Individual medal and Jacob Stacy was awarded the Sixth Place Individual medal. Other players on Saturday’s team included Jordan Fulton, Arley Gale and Martin Jones. Salem will host Sectional Quiz Bowl Competition on Tuesday night, April 24th. Salem will face Cuba for a chance to advance to the State Scholarship Tournament in Columbia on the Mizzou Campus in May.

An accident happened in Texas County Monday evening at 7:15 on Boone Creek Road about four miles west of Licking. According to the highway patrol report, a 1998 Buick LeSabre driven northbound by 17-year old Dameun Wiliams of Licking traveled off the roadway. Williams then overcorrected and the Lesabre struck a tree. Suffering minor injuries were passengers 17-year old Chelsea Hawkins of Licking and 18-year old Jaina Lewis of Licking. Both were taken to the Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston by a private vehicle. Williams and Hawkins were wearing seat restraints while Lewis was not. The LeSabre was totaled and removed from the scene by the owner.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department released some reports. On April 8th, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Highway 32 West at County Fuels. The driver, a 48-year old Salem man, was arrested for driving while being intoxicated. The man was fingerprinted, issued a citation, and released. On Monday, April 9th, deputies responded to a burglary in progress at a residence on Dent County Road 4270. A neighbor relayed that lights were on in a garage and no one was home. When deputies arrived, no one was located in the garage but a door was unlocked. This report is still under investigation. On Tuesday, April 10th, deputies assisted Children’s Division with an investigation at a residence on Dent County Road 4280. While assisting, deputies recognized a 38-year old Salem man in the house and knew he had warrants. He was arrested and taken to the Dent County Jail. On Wednesday, April 11th, deputies responded to a residence on Dent County Road 4210 for a domestic disturbance. After a short investigation, a 34-year old Salem man was arrested for 2nd Degree Domestic Assault. A 33-year old Salem woman was also arrested, as she had warrants for her arrest. They were both taken to the Dent County Jail. That same day, deputies responded to a residence on Highway 68 for a report of a theft. It was reported that a battery-powered sprayer was stolen. It is described as being on wheels and had a tank. This report is still under investigation. On Thursday, April 12th, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Highway 19 North at Franklin Street. The driver, a 24-year old Salem woman, was arrested for driving while having her license suspended. She was fingerprinted, issued a summons, and released. On April 13th, deputies responded to a residence on for the report of a domestic disturbance on Dent County Road 6150. A 26-year old Salem man was located and found to have a warrant. He was arrested and taken to the Dent County Jail. During his arrest, he was found to be in possession of a pipe that had residue that field-tested for THC. Charges are being sought for the unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. That same day, deputies responded to the Salem Full Gospel Church on Highway 19 North for a report of property damage. It was reported that a window on the Family Center portion of the church had been broken. This report is still under investigation. Also on the Friday, April 13th, deputies responded to Dent County Road 6200 after receiving a call for a suspicious vehicle. A consent search of the vehicle resulted in deputies finding a small black zipper pouch with two baggies of marijuana and a Hydrocodone pill. As a result of the search, a 36-year old Salem woman was arrested and taken to the Dent County Jail for possession of a controlled substance. If anyone has information regarding any ongoing investigation, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Monday morning at the courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was not in attendance and Commissioner Gary Larson was appointed to act as temporary presiding commissioner. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2470, 2480, 6210, 5310, 6400 and 6410 and if time permits, county road 5580. He indicated brush would be cut on county road 6510 and is asking people driving that road to be aware of the operators doing the brush cutting. Purcell said he would be attending a South Central Community Action Agency meeting in Winona tonight. District 2 Commissioner Larson said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2340, 3180, and 4370 while brush will be cut on county roads 4283, 4285 and 4287. Larson went on to say that materials would be hauled and added to county road 2630 and workers will also be out checking for washouts from the rains Friday night. Bids for culverts were received and opened at 10:00 Monday morning, but no vote was taken as the bids received were over budget. At the last meeting, Salem Mayor Brad Nash and City Administrator Ray Walden came in to discuss the memorandum of understanding on the agreement for the Iron and Water Streets ownership right-of-way. The memorandum was to be presented in closed session at the aldermen meeting Monday night. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and the meeting will be open to the public.

The Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday night at the city hall council chambers. In the hearing of persons, John Hambacker and Beverly Atchison wanted clarification on the lifetime appointments that were mentioned in the newspaper. All city employees are considered to have at-will employment that means they can be dismissed for cause at any time. The newspaper was mistaken in listing the appointments as just lifetime. These seven appointments are made by the Mayor with approval by the Aldermen. With the recommendation from the Archer-Elgin Design Engineer Ken Campbell, the board approved the lowest bid from Smith and Edwards Construction totaling $570,500 for the Phase 1A Waste Water Treatment Plant improvement project. The board heard from the Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Gary Brown about the public hearing and meeting that was held prior to the City Council meeting. There was no public comment regarding the annexation of property owned by Phelps County Regional Medical Center. With the Planning and Zoning Commissions recommendation, the board approved the annexation of the five acres as commercial property. The board certified the election results from the April 3rd Municipal Election. City Clerk, Mary Happel administered the oath of office to Mayor Brad Nash, East Ward Alderwomen Kim Shelton and West Ward Alderman Kenny Nash. Mayor Nash presented outgoing West Ward Alderwoman, Molly Zettel, with an appreciation plaque. Alderman Haydn Powell was elected President of the Board of Alderman. Mayor Nash explained why the storm sirens were not set off during the recent thunderstorm. Several factors go into deciding when the weather calls for the sirens to be implemented. The National Weather Service works closely with the Dent County and City of Salem Emergency Management Directors and local officials are all involved in the decision. City Administrator Ray Walden reminded the board and citizens that in his capacity as City Administrator, all employee direction and job duties must go through his office as directed by Article VI Section 115.600 of the code book. He thanked the students at Salem R-80 High School for their help during the schools community service day. The suspended tile ceiling in the City Hall has been removed and roofing estimates will be sought to repair several leaks. The Drury University student led fourth visioning session will be held the evening of May 7th from 5:00 until 7:00 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Walden requested and the board approved moving the May 7th Alderman meeting to the Armory so that alderman may attend the session. City Attorney Camm Seay presented Bill #3381 that addresses the definitions and the operation of golf carts within the city limits. Golf carts that do not exceed 20 mph are permitted inside the city limits with several conditions being met. The board went into closed session to discuss real estate.

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will hold their regular meeting this evening at 6:00 at the hospital library. In the administrator’s report, the board will receive information on the summary of operations and statistics for the month of March followed by the Chief of Nursing Operations report. There will also be a report on the Hospital Foundation followed by the auxiliary report. There will be a report on marketing and community perception, plus patient satisfaction survey results for the Emergency Department and SMDH Family Medicine. In old business, the board will go over Finance Committee meeting report. In new business the board will consider hospital purchases. The agenda also includes a vote by the board to go into closed session if needed. The regular meeting of the Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors is open to the public.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will hold their reorganizational and regular board meeting at 6:00 this evening at the Salem District Administrative Offices Boardroom. At the meeting, will be the swearing in of the re-elected board members followed by the election of the board officers. An MSBA delegate and alternate will be decided upon before the regular meeting begins. After the consent agenda, the Board will hear from Superintendent John McColloch who will report on a budget update before the principals from all the schools will give their reports. In new business, the board will set the 2018-2019 tuition, consider a Security Resource Officer position and a school psychological examiner position, and consider a Middle School building improvement plan.  The board will accept resignations before adjourning and then go into closed session. The Salem R-80 Board of Education reorganizational and regular meeting will be tonight at the District Administrative Office at 6:00 and it is open to the public.

An accident happened in Dent County Saturday afternoon at 3:50 on Route B about four miles east of Salem that took the life of a man from Salem. According to the highway patrol report, 44-year old Shannon Williams of Salem was driving a 1997 Toyota Forerunner eastbound when he failed to negotiate a curve and the Forerunner traveled off the right side of the roadway. The Toyota returned to the roadway, but Williams overcorrected and it went back off the right side of the road again where the Forerunner struck an embankment and overturned. Williams was not wearing a seat restraint and was ejected from the Forerunner. Williams was pronounced dead at the scene by Dent County Sheriff Bob Wells at 4:35. The Toyota was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing. The Missouri Highway Patrol was assisted by the Dent County Sheriff’s Department and the Dent County Fire Protection District at the accident scene.

An accident happened Saturday afternoon at 1:55 in Crawford County on Highway 19 about five miles south of Steelville. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt driven northbound by 18-year old Kylee Sexton of Steelville, traveled off the left side of the road and struck a tree. Sexton suffered serious injuries and was flown to the University Hospital in Columbia. The Chevy Cobalt was totaled and removed from the scene by Miles Towing. Sexton was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident.

The City of Salem Planning and Zoning Board of Commissioners will be holding a public hearing at 6:30 tonight for the annexation of property on Highway 32-72 West owned by the Phelps County Regional Medical Center. The hearing will be held at the City Hall Council Chambers at 202 North Washington. Immediately following the closing of the public hearing, the Planning and Zoning Board of Commissioners will hold a public meeting concerning the same property also at the City Hall Council Chambers. Following these meetings, the Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting for their regular meeting at 7:00. The board will hear from John Hambacker, Beverly Atchison and Gene Baker about lifetime appointments to many city positions. The board will hear and discuss bids on the Waste Water Treatment Plant Phase 1A Improvements Project before reviewing the public hearing discussions held before their meeting. After the consent agenda, the board will hear from the Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Gary Brown about the public hearing and meeting and any recommendations made. The board will then certify the election results from the April 3rd Municipal Election, administer the oath of office, and reorganize the board. In reports, City Administrator Ray Walden and Mayor Brad Nash will give their reports before the board hears Bill #3381 that addresses the definitions and the operation of golf carts within the city limits. The board will go into closed session to discuss real estate. The City of Salem Planning and Zoning Commission hearing and meeting, and the Board of Aldermen meeting are open to the public.

The Salem Police Department released the following reports. On Thursday, April 5th, at approximately 6:27 in the afternoon, an officer was dispatched to Wal-Mart in reference to a shoplifter. The investigation of the report led to the arrest of a 51-year old female and a 24- year old female, both of Salem, for stealing merchandise valued at $30.96. The two suspects were issued summonses to appear in court and released. Later that night at approximately 11:06, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The investigation of the stop led to the arrest of a 29-year old female of Salem for the possession of marijuana. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. Then on Friday evening, April 6th, at approximately 6:43, an officer was dispatched to the area of Highway 19 and Center Street in reference to a suspicious female that appeared to be intoxicated. That investigation led to the arrest of a 33-year old female of Park Hills for the possession of drug paraphernalia. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On Monday, April 9th, at approximately 5:23 in the afternoon, an officer was contacted at the Salem Police Department in reference to a missing person. The investigation of the report revealed that a 28-year old female of Cuba who was undergoing treatment at the Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health Center on Grand, had been missing since April 3rd. The female was entered as a missing person and the investigation continues. That night at approximately 9:05, an officer transported a 19-year old male of Rolla from Phelps County Jail to the Dent County Jail due to the suspect having an active arrest warrant from the City of Salem. The suspect was incarcerated pending a court appearance. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have information regarding any ongoing investigation.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams presented the sales tax figures for the county’s four funds: General Revenue, Law Enforcement, Road and Bridge, and the Jail Operating and Building fund. Williams stated the sales tax received in April for the General Revenue Fund and LEST was $86,326.04 and year to date, the sales tax revenue is up $59,058.49 for the first four months and that percentage increase in those funds is 21.12%. The Road and Bridge Fund received $38,903.55 in April and year to date, that fund is up 16.2% over last year. The sales taxes received for the jail funds were $76,437 for each fund and Commissioner Skiles said payments to the architectural firm and construction manager are made from those funds. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2440 and 5150, while materials would be added and grading done on county road 6220. He also said brush would be cut on Dent County Road 5520. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2380, 2390, 2405, 4030, 6120 and 6123. He also said materials would be added to county roads 3273, 3275 and 4040 while brush would be cut on Dent County Roads 2270 and 2303. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles stated that all three commissioners and Dent County Clerk Angie Curley attended the MAC Legislative Conference on Monday. Skiles said it was a very good conference and the group heard from Senator Rowden, Senator Hegeman and Senator Wallingford as well as Representative Justus and Representative Lauer about a number of issues. Richard LaBrash brought in a Resolution from the Missouri House of Representatives that the Senate concurred with regarding a state funeral for the final World War 2 Medal of Honor recipient when they pass. This resolution will be sent to the President and Vice-President of the United States and many others in Washington, D.C. to ask the President to make the request a reality. LaBrash also said the petitions in the area for this cause will be picked up the week of April 16th and sent off to support the resolution. LaBrash also wanted to remind everyone the American Legion and VFW Post on Highway 32 West will be holding their Veteran’s Affair Day on April 27th from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon. He said the VA has changed their position on Care Giver status in caring for veterans. He said this would benefit some spouses or family members that currently give care to veterans at home as long as they meet three requirements. To see if you meet these qualifications for these benefits, LaBrash says to make plans to attend the Veteran’s Affair Day as the Veteran’s Administration personnel will be in Salem along with staff members from Senators and Representatives from the state and federal government during those four hours. At the last meeting, Sheriff Bob Wells said bids will be accepted for the sale of a 2005 white Crown Victoria Interceptor from the sheriff’s department. Bids will be accepted until April 27th at 5:00 in the sheriff’s office. Bids will be opened at 10:00 the morning on Monday, April 30th at the commission meeting. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

Don’t forget to attend the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo will be held tomorrow morning starting at 9:00 and ending at noon at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. The event is FREE and open to the public! There will be 43 vendors on hand to discuss their products and/or services in the local area. There will be four star prizes this year and they are four St. Louis Cardinals tickets from Town and Country Bank, a refurbished Windows 10 computer with keyboard, mouse and monitor from A-1 Tech of Rolla; a one night stay and basket full of goodies from Echo Bluff, and a free enrollment along with a free uniform, free trainer weapon & private lesson from Salem ATA Martial Arts. Parking for the expo will be held at the armory, the Salem City Park and also across the street from the Salem Community Center on Rolla Road. For any questions you may have, contact the chamber office at 729-6900.

An accident occurred in Dent County Thursday morning at 10:10 on Route C about one mile south of Anutt. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 Ford Focus, driven by 70-year-old Darlene Maass of Lenox, ran off the left side of the roadway and overturned. Maass suffered moderate injuries and was transported by the Salem Ambulance to Phelps County Regional Medical Center. The report stated the Maass was wearing her safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitakers Towing.

An accident occurred Thursday afternoon at 1:35 in Phelps County on Highway 68 about nine miles south of St. James. According to the highway patrol report, a northbound a 2009 Yamaha XVS650, driven by 60-year-old Thomas Mash of St. James, failed to negotiate a curve. The Yamaha traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a sign. Mash suffered serious injuries and was transported by Phelps Air to University Hospital in Columbia. The report stated that Mash was wearing a safety device at the time of the accident. The Yamaha sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing.

Intercounty Electric Co-Operative Association held their annual Youth Tour Essay contest in February where juniors from the schools in their service area write a 250-500 word essay for the chance to go to Washington, D. C. for a week, or earn a three day trip on the CYCLE program to Jefferson City. Judging was held on March 24th at the Intercounty Electric auditorium in Licking and the winners of the trip to Washington D.C. from schools in the KSMO listening area included Olivia Erway from Salem, Athena Hood from Licking, Raina Forstrom from St. James and Brody Brown from Rolla. Those earning the trip to Jefferson City included Abigail Kilman from Salem, Emily Phillips from Rolla, Katelyn Kinder and Richelle Schwarz from Licking, and Alyssa Dorris and Matthew Altis from St. James. Each of the juniors who participated deserves to be congratulated on their hard work!

Missouri’s 16th annual “No MOre Trash! Bash” will focus on “spring cleaning” the outdoors by asking residents to pick up litter throughout the state during the April 15th to May 15th time period. The litter prevention campaign is sponsored by the Missouri departments of Conservation and Transportation. The annual Trash Bash encourages people to clean up litter across Missouri from roadsides, parks, neighborhoods, rivers, streams, trails and other places during April. Trash Bash activities also include educational efforts in schools, community events and Earth Day celebrations. Each year, MoDOT spends about $6.75 million to remove litter from more than 385,000 acres of roadsides along 34,000 state highway miles. Annual volunteer efforts to pick up litter along Missouri highways are valued at more than $1 million. Last year, more than 43,000 bags of litter and several truckloads of debris were picked up during the spring the “No More Trash! Bash.” People also attended numerous educational events stressing the importance of not littering. Volunteers participated through Adopt-A-Highway and Stream Team litter cleanup events. Missouri Stream Team Program volunteers removed 547 tons of litter from waterways and dedicated more than $2.3 million worth of volunteer time to litter removal statewide annually. Littering also hurts wildlife and Missouri outdoors. Volunteers are needed across the state to participate in litter cleanup activities. Participants can report their cleanup efforts and will receive a thank you No MOre Trash! pin. For more information and to learn how to participate, call 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636).

The Meramec Regional Planning Commission and the Phelps County Public Housing Agency (PHA) Family Self-Sufficiency program will host a free workshop from 10:00 in the morning until noon on April 16th in St. James on “Tackling the Tough Skills: Problem Solving.” This workshop is the final in a series of five that will cover topics such as attitude, responsibility, communications, problem solving and preparing for the workplace. All workshops are held in the Phelps County PHA room ag the MRPC offices located at #4 Industrial Drive in St. James. Christy Saylor, the Missouri Ozarks Community Action county projects coordinator, will be presenting the program. Free training classes are a part of MRPC and PHA’s efforts to help prepare families by making them aware of the resources available to assist with self-sufficiency. Workshops are offered at no cost to the participants. For more information or to RSVP, contact Savannah Vandegriffe at 573-265-4200 ext. 132. Free training classes are a part of MRPC and PHA’s efforts to help prepare families by making them aware of the resources available to assist with self-sufficiency. Each participant who attends will receive a $25 Wal-Mart gift card, as long as they meet income qualifications.

Have you joined the petition drive to have enlisted World War II Veterans honored with a state funeral for the passing of last Medal of Honor recipient? You will find numerous petitions in the area at stores, offices, and governmental buildings. Between 1939 and 1945, sixteen million Americans served our country in World War II. Of that sixteen million, 464 received the Medal of Honor, of which only four recipients remain alive today. In the history of the United States there has never been a state funeral held for an enlisted person. Petitions are located at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory, American Legion Post #99, and numerous locations around Salem. If you have questions or concerns feel free to contact Chairman Richard LaBrash, State Funeral for World War II Veterans, at (573) 729-1394. Signers of the petition must be a registered voter. If you haven’t found a petition in town, people can go online at WorldWar2Salute.org to sign the petition.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo will be held this Saturday starting at 9:00 and ending at noon at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. A total of 43 vendors will be in attendance and four of those businesses will be giving away prizes valued at more than $250: Town and Country Bank with four St. Louis Cardinals tickets, A-1 Tech of Rolla will be offering a refurbished Windows 10 computer with keyboard, mouse and monitor; Echo Bluff will be offering a one night stay and basket full of Echo Bluff goodies, and Salem ATA Martial Arts will be giving away a free enrollment along with a free uniform, free trainer weapon & private lesson. There is no cost to attend the expo and everyone is welcome. This is an excellent opportunity to find out about a number of local businesses where you can talk with them about their services and products. Many business will have products there you can buy. Many of these vendors will offer free giveaway items or may have their own prize registration. Parking for the expo will be throughout the Salem City Park and also across the street from the Salem Community Center on Rolla Road. Make it a point to stop by the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo this Saturday starting at 9:00 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road. For any questions you may have, contact the chamber office at 729-6900.

Missouri Department of Transportation Senior Maintenance Worker Justin Sundell of Salem recalls a time he was flagging vehicles through a work zone on Highway 68 when he noticed a car that wasn’t slowing down. Sundell says the next thing he heard was the sound of squealing tires and locking brakes as the driver was looking at his phone the whole time. This week is “National Work Zone Awareness Week” and Sundell is speaking up in hopes of getting drivers to pay more attention in work zones, which will be cropping up throughout the state as warmer weather moves in. He is begging drivers to buckle up and put the phone down. Unfortunately, work zone crashes are on the rise nationwide. Sixteen people were killed in work zone crashes last year and two of those people were workers. That is double the number killed in 2016, when eight people died in work zones. In fact, a work zone crash occurs every 5.4 minutes. With construction season underway, motorists will encounter work taking place on Missouri roadways through the fall. Some of the more impactful work zones will occur on Interstates 70, 44, 64, 55, 270 and on Highway 65. Here are some tips for navigating work zones safely: Observe warning signs and merge before reaching lane closures, and be aware of changing traffic conditions. Traffic could slow or stop unexpectedly as the traffic lanes can merge, or equipment and workers can enter the roadway. Always be prepared to slow down. Driving too fast for the conditions is a major factor in work zone crashes. To help make your travel safer, visit MoDOT’s Traveler Information map at www.traveler.modot.org/map and find out what work zones you’ll encounter before you go.

According to preliminary data from Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), young turkey hunters harvested 1,723 turkeys during the spring youth season this past Saturday and Sunday. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 51 turkeys harvested, Miller with 43, and Maries with 43. Young hunters checked a little over 4,000 turkeys during last year’s youth weekend. MDC’s Turkey Biologist, Jason Isabelle, said that weather was the biggest contributing factor to this year’s low youth turkey season harvest. Temperatures that were well-below average probably made it difficult for young hunters to spend as much time hunting this past weekend as they would have with more seasonal temperatures. Isabelle also notes that in addition to cold temperatures this weekend, spring has been slow to get here this year causing turkeys to be a little behind schedule as far as the winter flock break-up. With warmer temperatures in the forecast, hunting conditions should be much more favorable for the upcoming regular spring turkey season. For more information on the upcoming regular spring turkey hunting season, April 16-May 6, get a copy of MDC’s 2018 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where permits are sold, or online. Hunters who harvest their first turkey can have the accomplishment recognized through a special certificate from MDC, complete with a photo. Learn more at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/trophies-certificates/certificates.

The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks has scheduled another blood drive in Salem this week and this one will be Friday from 9:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon at the Salem Memorial District Hospital. Remember, current blood supplies of “O” negative and “A” negative are critically low. To be eligible to give blood, you must weight at least 110 pounds, be in good health and have a picture ID. For more information about this blood drive, contact Debra Piatt at the Salem Hospital at 729-6626. The other blood drive in Salem is today at the Salem High School from 8:30 until 2:30.