Local News

Here is an Ozark National Scenic Riverways update as they have opened some land-based areas for day use. Park staff and the Midwest Region Incident Management Team have been working to assess conditions and identify areas that are safe to open as we continue to address the large tasks ahead. Teams are working daily to clean up debris, repair extensive damage to facilities, and prioritize areas that can be opened. Full amenities are not available yet in the re-opened areas. Plan to pack out whatever you bring to the areas as trash collection and restroom cleaning will be limited, and areas will not be mowed. Patience is appreciated while recovery efforts continue. Now open are the Round Spring and Pulltite Campgrounds. Reduced rates will be posted at campgrounds where all amenities, such as showers and flush toilets, are not on line yet. Some parts of the Jacks Fork and Current River are now open. Floating is now available on the Upper Current from Tan Vat to Round Spring, and the Jacks Fork is now open for floating from Buck Hollow to Alley boat launch; but closed from Alley boat launch to Two Rivers until safety hazards can be mitigated. The Lower Current River is open for power boating but closed to floating due to persistent high water. These launch areas are now open: Tan Vat, Baptist, Cedar Grove, Akers, Pulltite, Round Spring, Buck Hollow, Rymers, Alley and Big Spring. Open are the Alley Mill parking area, grounds around Alley Mill and Storys Creek School, Alley General Store 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Alley Mill is closed due to flood damage, restrooms – due to issues with the sewage system. Devils Well is open for day use and picnicking. Akers Ranger Station public restrooms will be open. For public information and status updates information desks will be staffed at Round Spring Contact Station, Alley Spring General Store, and Park Headquarters in Van Buren, daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

In some ways, Memorial Day weekend is the gateway to summer fun. The long weekend is an opportunity to visit family or friends, go to one of Missouri’s lakes, or enjoy any number of recreation opportunities in our state. Colonel Sandra K. Karsten, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, would like the public to make safety a priority this holiday weekend. Use a seat belt and pay attention when you drive, and wear your life jacket when you’re on or near the water. Know where work zones are located along your route, and if alcohol is part of your holiday, make sure driving a vehicle or a vessel is not. The Patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness Reduction Effort) during the long holiday weekend. This means every available trooper will be on the road enforcing traffic laws and assisting motorists. In addition, the Patrol will assign troopers to 20-mile intervals along Interstates 29, 44, 55, and 70, and U.S. Highways 60 and 61 tomorrow and Monday, May 29th. Troopers taking part in the holiday peak travel crash reduction enforcement project will be alert for all traffic offenses, and be especially vigilant to aggressive driving violations. Motorists or boaters in need of assistance or who want to report a crime should use the Highway Patrol’s Emergency Assistance number 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone. For road condition reports, travelers can visit our web site at mshp.dps.mo.gov. Click on the Road Condition icon to view road construction areas throughout the state or call 1-888-275-6636. Over the 2016 Memorial Day holiday weekend, 13 people died and 451 were injured in 1,045 traffic crashes. Last year, troopers made 135 DWI arrests. This year’s fatality counting period for the holiday weekend begins at 6:00 pm on Friday, May 26th, and ends at 11:59 pm on Monday, May 29th. Troopers will focus their attention on seat belt use, use of child safety seats, impaired drivers, and speed violations. Motorists are encouraged to be safe and courteous drivers. Speed, inattention, and impaired driving are leading causes of traffic crashes. Please do your part. Obey all traffic laws and make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint. The only 100 percent survivable traffic crash is the one that never happens. Make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint. Every day as we travel on Missouri’s roadways, we trust that every driver on the road is going to obey the speed limit, pay attention, and drive sober. “Don’t Violate The Trust.”

Congressman Jason Smith congratulated Congressional Art Competition finalists and announced the winner during a reception at Mineral Area College on Saturday. Makayla Cahill from Salem R-80 High School won the 8th Congressional District Competition with a mosaic of a young girl from Salem entitled “Reflections of Youth.” Cahill stated she chose to do a mosaic because it was something she had not tried before and thought it would be a good medium to present her artistic vision. Cahill’s piece “Reflections of Youth” will be displayed in the United States Capitol for a full year and she will receive two round trip tickets to Washington, D.C. to attend the Congressional Art Competition reception with other art competition winners from across the country. There were six finalists from across the 8th Congressional District. In addition to Cahill, Baylee Bilyeu from Salem R-80 High School was also a finalist. The Congressional Art Competition is an annual event for high school students held each spring.

The Salem Park and Recreation Board held a meeting last Thursday at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. After a closed session, Parks and Recreation Director Tye Lydon said 191 children participated in the City Soccer program this spring and it was a success. Lydon stated 415 children had signed up for the softball, baseball and T-Ball leagues. He also discussed the opening of the pool is scheduled for May 27th, but there had been some issues with the pool leaking that could delay the opening. Lydon did report there would be some slow pitch tournaments and baseball tournaments this year. Lydon did say the city had hired Don Smith as a part time Field Supervisor for field prep and in getting the fields ready for games. Guest Stevie Seay asked Lydon if he had a protocol for hiring umpires for the baseball and softball leagues and he said not really except that they need to know the game and be of good moral character. Park President Stan Podorski reported on the budget status and that the budgeted amount of sales tax revenue was reached in 11 months at $375,271.65 received over the $375,000 that was budgeted. Over the first 11 months of the fiscal year, revenues exceed $412,000 while encumbered expenses came in at $225,813.00 with many purchases still to be made in June. Podorski also said a launch meeting was held May 10th for the TAP grant for the new trail at the city park and the LWCF grant for the All Accessible Playground. The engineers now have the designs to work into a plan for the city to move forward. Lydon reported on the Pool House shower improvements and the tree planting and flower bed gardening done at the city park with help from the Spring Creek Garden Club. Lydon also said the “Volunteers for America” cleaned the stream ditch in the city park and he also wanted to thank the high school for the “cleanup day” that allowed students to put down rubber chips in the Al Brown Playground. Podorski reported work is still expected to be done on the Al Brown Fields for a new concession stand with a handicapped accessible bathroom, sidewalks and more. The old concession stand has been cleaned and may have to be used until the new concession stand can be put in, but it still needs a new roof. He also mentioned the city is looking at replacing five light poles with metal standards and new lights in the future. Podorski told members he verbally committed the Park Board to providing $50,000 over two fiscal years to a NAP project submitted by Healthy Dent County for a new Gym on the back lot of the Salem Community Center @The Armory. Without a quorum, a vote on this will have to wait until the next meeting which should be in a couple of weeks. On a request from the Salem News about adding the old middle school property as another park, President Podorski indicated the Salem Park and Recreation Department was not in a fiscally responsible position to look into adding another park. They have long term commitments already established including the work at Al Brown, the City Park’s All-Inclusive Playground and the new Soccer Park that would have to be done first. He said he was speaking personally for the board since there was no longer a quorum where a vote could be taken. The meeting was then adjourned.

The City of Salem Board of Alderman will conduct a Special Meeting tonight at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory beginning at 6:30, called by Mayor Brad Nash, for the purpose of discussing proposed water and sewer rates from the Utility Committee and there will be a public hearing on the proposed sewer rates. Following the Board of Alderman Special Meeting, the City of Salem Finance Committee will hold a meeting, called Alderman Haydn Powell to review the current 2016-2017 budget and discuss the 2017-2018 budget. The Special Meeting of the City of Salem Board of Alderman and the meeting of the City of Salem Finance Committee are open to the public.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education held their May meeting Thursday evening at the Boardroom. After approval of the agenda, Superintendent John McColloch reported the MAP and EOC testing has been completed. MAP scores should be ready the beginning of summer while the EOC scores are coming in, but a problem with the State website has delayed the state averages. School Board President Bernie Sirois discussed with the Board the forming of a committee to look at the possibility of future school consolidation in Dent County as this has been a part of the discussion with the Salem Initiative. The William Lynch Elementary will be holding pre-school registration May 22nd and May 23rd for children that will be 3 by August 1, 2017 and parents need to call 729-6611 for an appointment. Summer school begins May 30th for 49 incoming kindergarteners and 46 first graders. The Upper Elementary STEM Club has planted their first garden and are hoping to being an economics system for selling and donating to those in need. Serendipity celebrated its 30th year and was a success. The Salem Middle School Archery competed in the National Tournament in Kentucky in May and the team score qualifies them for the World Tournament in Florida in July. Three students from the Salem Senior High will be added to the ACT Wall of Fame, the Boys Track Team are SCA Champions along with the Salem Baseball Team and the Girls Track Team are SCA runner up. It was announced the Salem High School will be offering several business, biology and other dual courses next year. The Board voted to renew the partnership contribution with Healthy Dent County for $10,000 and the Board approved the 2017-2018 Professional Development plan. The Board voted to approve the building handbooks at each building and then approved moving the June meeting date to Thursday, June 22nd. The adult meal prices for 2017-2018 was approved at $2 for breakfast and $3 for lunch, and the Board approved the preliminary budget for 2017-2018. The preliminary budget showed anticipated revenue of $12,543,921 and the anticipated expenditures of $12,486,930. The Board voted to purchase 520 Chromebooks at a cost of $200.97 that includes the license fee and a motion was made to add $500 on the base to the 2017-2018 salary schedule for certified staff. The Board approved the resignation of Natalie Huebner as Kindergarten Interventionist; Sandra Radford as a Middle School Special Education instructor, Angela Barnes as a High School Science teacher and Derek Freeman as Assistant Track and Assistant Football coach. In closed session, the Board voted to hire Angel Edgar as part-time High School Spanish; Staci Armer as a 4th grade teacher, Alanea Tyler for 2nd grade Special Education, and Bryan Carty for High School Science. Also in closed session the Board hired Phil Karr Head Softball Coach, James Joynt for Middle School Football, Kim Cooper for Middle School Track and Bryan Carty for Middle School Football and Middle School Track Coach. The meeting was then adjourned.

On Thursday, May 18th at approximately 6:34 in the evening, officers of the Salem Police Department were detailed to the 800 block of east Highway 32 in reference to a possible seizure. Upon arrival, officers found a 29-year old Salem woman who was combative and unresponsive. The woman was transported to Salem Memorial District Hospital via ambulance. Later the woman was air lifted to Columbia where she passed away. An autopsy will be conducted and the death is under investigation.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released a report for May 10th. Dent County deputies assisted agents of the Missouri Department of Conservation with an investigation in the 7000 block of Highway 32 West. As a result of a consent search on the property, 28 cups and planters pots with marijuana plants as well as five glass smoking devices with residue and a plastic pill container with residue were located. The residue field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail was 39-year old Douglas Tiefenthaler of Salem. Also present was 33-year old Randall Welch Jr. of Salem. A consent search of Welch’s person revealed a glass smoking device with residue that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. He was also taken to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. Tiefenthaler was charged with the Manufacturing of 35 Grams or Less of Marijuana and given a $20,000 cash only bond. Welch was charged with possession of a controlled substance and given a $10,000 cash only bond. Any one who has any information about any ongoing investment is asked to contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors met for the regular meeting Tuesday evening at the hospital library. In the summary of operations for the month of April, inpatient admissions, census days and emergency room visits were all down from the previous year and budgeted amounts, yet the hospital showed a gain of operations of $21,571 with an excess of revenues over expenses of $30,570. There were some additional expenses during the month for the golf tournament (that ended up being postponed) and also to Peoplecentric for additional consulting, but there was still an increase of cash for the month of $264,587 that left the hospital with days cash on hand of 89 and that is ten more days than the average for Critical Access Hospitals in Missouri. During the month there were 61 acute care admissions and 730 emergency room visits with an average turnaround time of 130 minutes. Also during the month, there were 203 ambulance runs with 151 patients being transported to the hospital, 47 surgery cases, 1,457 outpatient registrations, 218 home health visits, 7,162 tests, 987 radiological procedures, 177 CT scans, 36 MRI scans, 3 nuclear med scans, 561 rehab treatments, 143 dialysis treatments and 238 clinical visits. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas said the Mobile Mammography unit again did not make it to the hospital in April and he said they may be checking into another service. Lucas said the hospital foundation golf tournament was rescheduled for June 9th at the Spring Creek Golf Club with 18 teams signed up. He said bronze sponsorships had doubled for the tournament. The hospital auxiliary will take the summer off but they did say the Shoe Road Productions have rescheduled their visit for June 27th in the hospital library. At the community health fair held May 10th and 11th, there were 398 people who attended. Lucas reported on the SMDH Family Medicine Satisfaction Survey results for the January through March. A total of 82 surveys were returned and all the results were excellent. Lucas reported on the Chief of Staff’s report where the 2017 critical lab values were reviewed and some changes were made. Lucas said they have gotten some numbers on the possible City of Salem Sewer Expansion, but not enough to make a final decision. The board reviewed the fiscal year 2018 budget prepared by the Finance Committee and approved the budget that showed about a four percent increase in ancillary and outpatient services and even smaller increases in Acute care charges. The budget included salary increases from 0% to 4%, retirement plan increases of 4%, supply cost increase of 4% and drug cost increases of 10%. The operating budget projected net operating revenue of $22,138,000 with total operating expenses expected to be $21,975,000 leaving a projected gain from operations of $152,970. The board approved the fiscal year 2018 budget. Lucas said Air Evac will probably be moving to the campus next week to their quarters in POB 2. The board approved a change in the safe deposit box signature card that removed Christina Webb and added L.J Cottrill, and they tabled purchasing a new Ford Fusion and F-150 truck until they can check and see if local dealers can get the vehicles for similar prices. The board then went into closed session.

The National Archery in the Schools (NASP) National Tournament and NASP International Bowhunting Organization (IBO) 3D Challenge were held May 11-13 in Louisville, Ky. More than 14,490 student archers in grades 4-12 from 670 schools competed, including 857 Missouri students from 45 schools. Missouri’s Sarcoxie High School was crowned national champions of NASP National Tournament and they set the record for highest NASP National Tournament team score with 3,465 out of 3,600. Seventh grader Irvin Johnson from Salem Middle School shot a score of 294 out of 300 to take fifth place in the middle school boys division. More than 4,100 student archers competed in the NASP IBO 3D Challenge, and many Missouri archers were among the top of their division. NASP promotes education, self-esteem, and physical activity for students in grades 4-12 through participation in the sport of archery.

The Salem Parks and Recreation Board will be meeting tonight 6:00 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. At the meeting, the board will elect officers for the upcoming year before Parks and Recreation Director Tye Lydon will provide reports for the soccer program, the opening of the pool, as well as the softball, baseball and T-Ball city leagues and tournaments. Park Board President Stan Podorski will provide a budget update before Lydon and Podorski go over a number of facility improvements that have been made such as the pool house repairs, tree planting, stream cleaning and the cleanup of the old Al Brown Concession building. They will also discuss projects that are being worked on now including the TAP grant and the LWCF Unlimited Playground grant, concession and sidewalk work at Al Brown Fields, lighting and fencing at Al Brown Fields and some important purchases that have been made. After addressing any other business, the board will go into closed session to discuss personnel. The Salem Park and Recreation Board meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday night at the city hall council chambers following the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. The board approved the request from the Salem Public Library to use the sidewalk for a sidewalk art contest and to use traffic cones to block off some parking spaces. The board heard about the bid on the NovaChip overlay, but wanted a second bid on that product or something similar. The board voted to repost the bid proposal. The board approved changing their life insurance carrier from Guardian Life Insurance to Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield for $20,000 basic life insurance and $20,000 AD&D Insurance for $4.74 per month per employee. Last year, the city paid $5.20 per month per employee. After the consent agenda was approved, Gary Brown reported on the Planning and Zoning meeting. He said the committee elected officers and Brown was elected as Chairman, Keith Inman was elected as Vice-Chairman and Wayne Bertz was named Secretary. The Committee recommended approving an In-Home Business License for a hair salon at 205 S. Washington for Carly Wilbur and the board of aldermen approved. City Administrator Ray Walden said the Salem Community Center had a total of 5,629 participants during the month of April. He reported a launch meeting was held on May 10th to begin work on the TAP grant and the LWCF grant that will develop the Unlimited Play playground with the initial work probably coming in the city park. He said the Salem Parks and Recreation Board will be meeting Thursday at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 6:00 and the city offices will be closed on May 29th for Memorial Day. The board approved allowing Walden to request qualifications for the architectural and engineering services for the Old Middle School property that will be due by June 9th. Mayor Brad Nash discussed the use of the city electric line locator on private property as there is no firm that can do that kind of work in the area if it is needed. He asked City Attorney William Camm Seay if a waiver could be drawn up that would allow the city to be held harmless if they would use the machine and make a mistake. Seay said you cannot remove negligence with a waiver and Mayor Nash said he will investigate this further. The board approved Bill #3331 adopting rules and regulations for the City of Salem’s Cedar Grove Cemetery that will go into effect immediately upon the signing of the bill. The Board approved adding Elizabeth Condray to the Planning and Zoning Commission to replace mike Thompson who resigned, and they also approved the appointment of Chad Heithold as the Chairman of the Utility Committee with members Alderwoman Molly Zettel, Gary Brown, Mike Godi, Jerry Layman, Catherine Dent and John Hambacker. The board went into closed session to discuss litigation.

A meeting was held at the Salem City Hall Auditorium Monday to kick off the Dent County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. About twenty people were on hand including representatives from the City of Salem, the Dent County Commission, Healthy Dent County, Dent County Health Center, and all the school districts. Tammy Snodgrass and Ryan Dunwoody from the MRPC explained the process and the time frame to have the first draft completed which she expects will be June of 2018 with the final plan expected about a year later. The mitigation plan is used to identify hazards, assess the potential impact of those hazards, develop goals as well as objectives and actions to reduce impacts, and to prioritize those actions. There are seven planning areas and they are the City of Salem, Dent County and the five school districts. The meeting eliminated some potential hazards in Dent County before the next steps in the process were discussed including the next meeting to be held June 12th with all the data collection surveys due June 19th. For more information about the mitigation plan, contact Ryan Dunwoody at 573-265-2993.

The Salem Police Department released reports involving traffic violations, a suspicious vehicle, and a traffic crash. On Friday, May 5th at 1:58 in the early morning, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The stop led to the arrest of a 20-year old Salem male for driving without a valid license. He was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On Saturday, May 6th at 12:32 in the early morning, an officer was investigating a suspicious vehicle parked at the Mercy Medical Center at Rolla and Macarthur. The investigation led to the arrest of a 37-year old Salem female on an active arrest warrant from Iron County. She was incarcerated pending extradition. On Sunday, May 7th at 12:12 in the early morning, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The stop led to the arrest of a 28-year old Salem male for driving while suspended. He was issued a summons to appear in court and released. That night at 9:20, an officer was detailed to North Henderson near the walking trail in reference to an intoxicated male yelling profanities and hitting things as he walked past them. The report led to the arrest of a 22-year old Salem male for failure to obey a lawful order of a police officer. He was issued a summons to appear in court and released. Contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities is teaming up with the North Wood Obstacle Course to put on the first ever, “ELITE DAY” where kids will learn about the importance of physical activity and unique ways to get active. This is the first of its kind. Students in grades 6-8 from Dent County schools will be competing on the obstacle course with a variety of challenges. The children will compete as individuals and as teams. The program will run from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm today!

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse. Emergency Management Director Brad Nash was in to tell the commission that FEMA and SEMA personnel will be at the firehouse this morning at 8:30. He said it would be good if a commissioner and the road and bridge district supervisors can be there to take FEMA and SEMA around and show them the worst of the worst. He said this year they requested more information then before. They want a map with all the damaged areas hi-lighted, wanted copies of the annual road district budgets, pictures of the damage as well as a spreadsheet of every road that had damage from the rains with GPS coordinates that include all the labor, materials, rentals, etc needed for each damaged area. Commissioners Dennis Purcell and Gary Larson both stated that the first three requests were covered, but there is no way that a spreadsheet with that information could be completed. Nash stated at 9:30, the people with individual assistance requests are to be at the firehouse. If you had damage from the extensive rains or flooding, call Brad Nash at the firehouse at 729-3250. Marlin Hartman was in to request additional and longer culverts be installed on Dent County Road 6160. He said some of the culverts are full or gravel and others are too short and get covered up when the road is graded. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Purcell said Dent County Road 6635 that was washed out in the Montauk area is being rebuilt. Materials will be taken to other roads in that area. Another crew is still rebuilding Dent County Road 4080. Purcell said patch grading will be done on Dent County Road 6230 on a curve while other grading will be done on county roads 5410, 5420 and 5480. He said repairs will need to be made to county road 6300 where the chip and seal was damaged by the water rushing over the road. Work will also be done on various other road locations as time allows. District 2 Commissioner Larson said patch grading will be done on country roads 2330, 2380, 4290 and 5260. Time permitting; work will also be done on county roads 5270, 3273 and 3275. Larson stated materials would be hauled to county roads 2330, 2380 and 4290, and brush would be cut on Dent County Road 3330. Presiding Commissioner Darrel Skiles reported Salem and Dent County will host the MRPC Annual Awards Dinner Thursday, October 26th, at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. At the MRPC meeting, the special speaker was Luke Holtschneider who works with the Department of Economic Development in rural development and he is working on getting broadband Internet access in the rural area. He will be holding a meeting in July. Skiles will be attending an Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Executive Board meeting Tuesday. The commission visited the Dent County Judicial Building to review a request for renovations by Becky Sweeney in her office. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports. On Tuesday, May 9th, deputies conducted a consent search at a residence in the 1000 block of County Road 4300. During the search, deputies found revealed baggies containing marijuana and marijuana seeds. As a result, 37-year old Asha Kirker of Salem was fingerprinted and given asummons for possession of up to 10 grams or less of marijuana. that same day, deputies responded to the Anutt Country Store in the 24000 block of Highway C for a report of property damage. Deputies discovered that a front window had been broken. This report is still under investigation. On Wednesday, May 10th, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Highway 32 West at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church. The driver, 23-year old Kevin Coon of Salem, was arrested for driving while revoked. During a consent search of the vehicle, a clear plastic baggie with residue that field tested positive of methamphetamine was found under the driver’s seat. Coon was taken to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance and given a $10,000 cash only bond. Anyone who has any information regarding any ongoing investigation should call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

The City of Salem Utility Committee will conduct a meeting, called by Chairman Alderman Chad Heithold tonight be the Salem Community Center @ the Armory beginning at 7:00. The purpose of the meeting will be to review rates for 2017-2018. The meeting of the Salem Utility Committee is open to the public.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will be conducting their May meeting tonight in the hospital library beginning at 6:00. After approval of the minutes from the April 18th meeting, Chief Financial Officer Monica Gargus will update the Board on the summary of operations and statistics reports for April followed by Chief Nursing Officer Debbie Hines report for April. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas will report on the hospital foundation, auxiliary activities and community involvement along with marketing strategy. In old business will be a discussion of the City of Salem water/sewer expansion and the meeting of the budget committee regarding 2018. In new business the Board will address purchases made for the hospital. The Board may vote to go into closed session. The May meeting of the Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors is open the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports. On May 5th, deputies traveled to the 6000 block of Highway VV for an investigation. Deputies were granted consent to search the residence and located a clear plastic baggie with residue that field tested positive for methamphetamine. As a result, 51- year old Steven Dorothy of Salem, was arrested and incarcerated into the Dent County Jail. That same day, deputies traveled to the 700 block of Dent County Road 6620 and made contact with an individual that had two active Texas County warrants for her arrest. As a result, 31-year old Bethany Heiney of Licking was arrested and incarcerated in the Texas County Jail. On May 6th, deputies conducted a traffic stop at the Shawnee Mac Conservation Area. While speaking with the vehicle occupants, the odor of marijuana was detected. As a result of a short investigation, 18-year old Robert White of Salem, was arrested for Minor in Possession, Minor Visibly Intoxicated, and Littering. White was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office, where he was fingerprinted and released on 3 summons to appear in court. On May 7th, deputies responded to the 1800 block of County Road 4030 for a report of a burglary. Upon arrival, it was discovered that various tools had been taken from a shed. This report is still under investigation. That same day, deputies responded to the 200 block of County Road 6470 for a report of an 18-year old with a diminished mental capacity walking off into the woods. A search was conducted of the area with the help of Missouri State Highway Patrol, Salem Police Department, and Texas County Sheriff’s Office. A Texas County Deputy was able to locate the missing person walking on Route AB in Texas County. He was then returned home to his guardian. If you have any information about any ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

The City of Salem Planning & Zoning Commission will conduct a meeting tonight at the City Hall Council Chambers located 202 North Washington beginning at 6:30 regarding a request of an In-Home business at 205 South Washington owned by Carly Wilber. The City of Salem Board of Alderman will conduct their regular meeting starting at 7:00. During the hearing of persons, Kate McBride with the Salem Public Library will request to used sidewalk & traffic cones on Thursday, June 1st for the annual teen sidewalk chalk art contest. In bids, the City of Salem requested bids for an estimated 16,000 square yards of NovaChip overlay and the one bid received will be presented to the Board. Also in bids, the City of Salem employee life insurance is up for renewal. During reports of city officials, boards and committees, the Board of Alderman will hear the results of the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting held earlier regarding an In-Home business. City Administrator Ray Walden will then report on various current and future projects concerning the City of Salem as well as give an update on the Old Middle School property followed by reports by Mayor Brad Nash. During the introduction and reading of bills and resolutions, Bill #3331 an ordinance adopting rules and regulations for the City of Salem’s Cedar Grove Cemetery as well as providing when this ordinance shall become effective will be presented for the Board’s approval. In new and miscellaneous business, Mayor Nash is requesting Board approval to appoint Elizabeth Condray to the Planning & Zoning Board to replace Mike Thompson’s unexpired term which ends in 2018. Mayor Nash will also request Board approval to appoint Alderman Chad Heithold, Chairman, Alderwoman Molly Zettel, Gary Brown, Mike Godi, Jerry Layman, Catherine Dent and John Hambacker to the City of Salem Utility Committee. The Board may vote to go into closed session. The meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission and regular meeting of the City of Salem Board of Alderman are open to the public.