Local News

The Salem Police Department has released a number of reports. On Thursday, August 17th at approximately 6:32 in the evening, an officer was sent to the Fourth Street Mall in reference to a theft. The investigation of the report revealed that a person or persons unknown stole a die cast if a John Deere tractor valued at $40.00. The report is under investigation. On Friday, August 18th at approximately 3:35 in the afternoon, an officer located a 30-year old male of Salem in the 1400 block of West Franklin who had an active arrest warrant from Dent County. The suspect was taken into custody on the warrant and released with a new court date after posting bond. That evening at approximately 8:38, an officer transported a 36-year old male of Cuba from the Phelps County Jail to the Dent County Jail due to two active arrest warrants from the City of Salem. The suspect was incarcerated pending a court appearance. Later that night at approximately 11:25, an officer was contacted in reference to a violation of an order of protection. That investigation revealed a 30-year old male from Salem violated the order by contacting a 32-year old female of Salem. Further investigation led to the arrest of the suspect who was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On Saturday, August 19th at approximately 3:17 in the morning, an officer was contacted at the Salem Police Department in reference to property damage. The investigation of the report revealed that a person or persons unknown scratched the side of a 2003 GMC truck that was parked at the Crossroads Shopping Center parking lot. The value of the damage is approximately $250.00. The report is under investigation. On Tuesday, August 22nd at approximately 4:34 in the afternoon, an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 400 block of South Warfel in reference to a theft. The investigation of the report revealed that a person or persons unknown took the license plates from a maroon 1999 Ford Escape. The report remains under investigation. On Wednesday afternoon, August 23rd at approximately 1:27, an officer went to the Salem High School in reference to a minor in possession of intoxicants. That investigation revealed a juvenile male had brought alcohol to the school. The juvenile was detailed and released to a parent. The report will be forwarded to the Juvenile Office. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

An accident happened on Friday, August 18th at 2:00 in the afternoon the corner of Rubenstein and Highway 19. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Jeep Commander driven by Tia Light of Salem was slowing to turn left onto Rubenstein and was being followed by a white pickup pulling an MFA trailer. Also traveling southbound and approaching Rubinstein behind the MFA trailer was a 1998 Jeep Cherokee Sport driven by Walter Keel of Salem. As the vehicles slowed, Keel moved into the north bound lane in to pass the MFA Trailer and white pickup and was unaware there was a vehicle in front of the pickup and trailer. The Cherokee started skidding as Keel saw the Jeep Commander who started to turn left onto Rubenstein while in the northbound lane of Highway 19, and struck the Commander. Both vehicles had moderate damages. Light suffered minor injuries and refused medical treatment at the scene. She would seek her own medical treatment at the Salem Memorial District Hospital. The Jeep Cherokee was moved prior to the officer’s arrival.

An accident happened Saturday afternoon at 12:45 in Texas County on Highway 17 about three miles north of Success. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 Harley Davidson Sportster driven northbound by 60-year old Sharon Corkell of Licking, traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a corner Chevron road sign and then overturned. Corkell suffered moderate injuries and was transported by a private vehicle to the Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston. She was wearing protective gear at the time of the accident. The Harley Davidson sustained moderate damage and was left at the scene at the request of the owner.

Do you have your tickets yet for the upcoming Salem Area Chamber of Commerce semi-pro rodeo, sanctioned by MRCA/URA and produced by Outlaw Rodeo Productions? The rodeo will be held this Labor Day weekend on Saturday, September 2nd and Sunday, September 3rd beginning at 7:30 each night at The Commons on Highway 72 North. There will be a number of events held including team roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, bull riding and bareback riding, saddle bronc, calf roping, calf scramble and boot toss! Advanced tickets are available at both locations of the Bank of Salem, both locations of Town and Country Bank, Riverways Federal Credit Union, Progressive Ozark Bank and the Salem Chamber office at 200 S Main. Prices are $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 5-11. For more information, contact Tabatha at the Chamber of Commerce at (573) 729-6900.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 4160 while grading only would be done on county roads 5150, 6080 and 6085. He also said brush would be cut on county road 5170. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials were going to be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2330 and 2380 while only grading would be done on county road 4330. He also indicated brush would be cut on county road 3050. Larson recommended the county get fuel bids for the Roads and Bridge Department due to the expected rise in fuel prices due to the hurricane in the Houston area. Bids would be taken on 7,000 gallons of diesel and County Fuels was awarded that bid with $1.81.7 per gallon and MFA Was awarded the gas bid with $1.81.7 per gallon got 1,000 gallons of unleaded. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles had nothing to report. The courthouse would be closed on Monday, September 4th for the Labor Day Holiday. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees held their regular meeting on Monday, August 21st. At the meeting, it was reported Health Center nurses have been working closely with area school nurses to ensure all student immunizations are up to date. They are able to provide vaccines to children with private insurance, Medicaid, and those that are uninsured. This year influenza shots will be shipped soon and they will begin giving flu shots in the coming weeks. In new business, the Local Agency Plan WIC plan is progressing and will be completed by August 31. The case load for fiscal year 2018 is down 40 clients from fiscal year 2017. It was reported Administrator Kendra Mobray will be attending the annual SEMA conference. The Health Center is working closely with Salem Memorial District Hospital to plan a county-wide exercise in the near future. It was also reported that Joan Raulston and Administrator Mobray attended the annual MCH meeting in July. In 2018, the health center will be conducting surveys within the MCH population to determine Priority Health Issues to be addressed in 2019 through 2021. Also noted at the meeting was the work done by nurses working with the Department of Health and Senior Services to investigate a recent rabid dog. The county is still under a rabies alert that will be lifted 90 days from the initial day of issuance if rabies activity is not identified in any domestic animals or in a significant number of wild animals. To reduce the risk of exposure, people should avoid contact with wild animals and stray pets, make sure dogs and cats are vaccinated against rabies, keep pets under control and do not let them run loose, do not keep wild animals or wild animal cross breeds as pets, notify the local animal control office or health department if you suspect an animal has rabies, and immediately seek medical evaluation when bitten or otherwise injured by an animal. In other business, Mobray reported Jennifer Roderman has been communicating with Boyce and Bynum Pathology Laboratories regarding a program they offer to local health departments to provide lab services at a discounted rate. After much discussion, the board approved proceeding with the service agreement. The Health Center will soon be accepting bids for new paint and flooring with detailed bid information to be posted in The Salem News. Mobray also reported she met with Douglas Dunn, the superintendent at Oak Hill R-I, to discuss an agreement to provide nursing services throughout the school year. That was approved by the board. The next regular board meeting date was set for Monday, September 18th at 5:00 p.m.

Customer traffic continues to increase at the Missouri Job Center Affiliate site in Salem. The office is located in the Salem Community Center @ the Armory located 1200 West Rolla Road. Sue Nardi, Career Consultant is available to assist customers Monday through Thursdays each week. Sue is available to assist job seekers with registration, resume development, completing on-line applications and job search. Additional services now available at the Salem Job Center include assessment to issue the National Career Readiness Certification (NCRC). The NCRC is a nationally recognized certification issued by ACT WorkKeys. Communities throughout the nation, including the Meramec sub-region in Central Missouri recognize the NCRC as validation of skills when considering job seekers for employment. Four levels of certification can be obtained. Bronze level confirms entry level abilities in “Reading and Understanding, Graphic Literacy and Applied Math”. Levels increase to confirm more advanced skills with Silver, Gold or Platinum certification. NCRC is a valuable tool for job seekers to use in demonstrating their skills and abilities to employers. NCRC allows employers to better match workers to specific jobs based on their assessed skill and competency levels. ACT WorkKeys Assessment is offered free of charge. Pre-screening will be conducted to ensure adequate skills to obtain an NCRC; the actual NCRC test is approximately three hours and testing dates can be scheduled. Call Sue at (573) 578-5573 or stop by the Salem Community Center to learn more about MO Job Center Programs and Services!

The Salem Police Department released their report for the month of July. During the month, they wrote 15 equipment repair orders, 14 summons to appear in court, 20 warning tickets, and 13 traffic tickets. The Salem Police Department investigated 16 accidents, two assaults, one burglary, one counterfeiting report, two reports of disorderly conduct, one dog bite, four reports of domestic violence, two reports of driving while being intoxicated and/or drugged, two reports of driving while being intoxicated, three reports of driving while having a revoked and/or suspended license, one endangering the welfare of a child report, and one report of harassment. The department also investigated one leaving the scene of accident report, one lost or stolen license plate report, one report of a missing person, three reports of property damage, 11 reports of possession of a controlled substance, two possession of drug paraphernalia reports, two reports of the delivery or distribution of a controlled substance, one report of stalking, one report of statutory sodomy, three reports of resisting and/or interring with an arrest, four tampering reports, 21 reports of stealing, four reports of a towed vehicle, and one 96 hour commitment. The police department received 1,282 calls for service during the month and handled 95 walk-ins to the station. They spent 26 hours in court testifying and ten hours as court bailiff. The Salem Police Department drove a total of 7,866 miles and arrested 28 males and 15 females during the month of July.

An accident occurred Friday morning at 4:45 in Phelps County on Route F about four miles north of Highway 72. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 Ford Escape, driven by 53 year-old Sherry Patton of Rolla, traveled off the roadway and overturned striking a fence and a tree. Patton suffered moderate injuries and was transported by EMS to Phelps County Regional Medical Center. She was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by C and C Towing of Rolla.

The University of Missouri Extension will host a Management Intensive Grazing School September 27th through the 29th at the MU Hugo Wurdack Research Center near Cook Station. The three-day program will include guest speakers covering the topics of grazing system layout and design, watering systems, fence systems, soil fertility, livestock nutrition, and forage growth and quality. Guests include District Conservationist NRCS Melinda Barch, Wurdack Farm Manager Brent Booker, Dent County MU Extension Livestock Specialist Ted Cunningham, Washington County MU Extension Ag Business Specialist Rachel Hopkins, Franklin County MU Extension Agronomy Specialist Matt Herring, and Mark Kennedy, a grassland consultant from the Missouri Forage and Grassland Council. Additionally, extensive farm tours will be included to allow participants to receive training on grazing system utilization. The cost of the three-day school is $135 per person or $215 per farm couple. This fee includes the cost of meals, resource books and other handout materials pertinent to the course. Space is limited for this program, and registration is based on a first-paid, first-served basis. Full payment is required by the registration deadline of September 21st. For more information, please contact Ted Cunningham at the Dent County Extension office at 573-729-3196, or visit www.extension.missouri.edu/dent.

The Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) is beginning work on updating the Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Coordination Plan for the Meramec Region. The first community meeting to begin identifying needs in the Meramec Region will be at 9:30 in the morning on August 29th at the MRPC offices located at #4 Industrial Drive in St. James. The plan, originally drafted in 2008 and updated in 2013, identifies public transit needs of individuals with disabilities, older adults and people with low incomes in the Meramec Region and outlines strategies to fill those needs. MRPC was contracted through the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to update the plan, which is updated every five years. The meeting will cover a review of the planning process, a discussion on community involvement and assistance, and will begin the service inventory and needs identification process. Identifying the needs will be a critical part of the process, and we want to include all transit providers as well as those who utilize local transit services. Please RSVP to Anne Freand or Linda Carroll at 573-265-2993 to ensure enough materials are provided for all attendees. If you need special accommodations to participate in the meeting, please contact MRPC at least one week in advance. For more information on the update of the Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Coordination Plan, contact Anne Freand with MRPC at 573-265-2993.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning at 9:00 for their regular meeting in the Dent County Courthouse. James Sapaugh was in to discuss the potholes on the chip and seal at the end of Route ZZ on the way to Cedar Grove. District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell noted that FEMA has classified the flooding in the area as a 500-year flood event and it has prevented his crews from getting to work on that roadway. Purcell said the road would be fixed this fall. In the road report, Purcell said that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2470 and 2480. He asked drivers on Dent County Roads 4110, 4120, 4210 and 4180 to be exceptionally cautious since grader operators are sloping the shoulders to improve drainage before chip and seal upgrades start on these roadways. He noted that this is a very slow process so caution is advised. Purcell went on to say that brush was being cut on Dent County Roads 5160 and 5170, plus a man was stockpiling base rock at the road and bridge shed. He noted that Monday evening he attended the Tourism Committee meeting where they approved proposals for the Rose Holland Trout Derby and the Blue Oval Club Rally, plus two reimbursement requests. Purcell wanted to encourage those involved with events that would be of economic benefit to Salem and Dent County businesses to apply for Tourism Tax dollars. Applicants need to obtain the guidelines and then follow them to the letter. Purcell noted that the events making application must be of community benefit in order to be considered. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson said that he was working with a very short crew and that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 6160 and 5240. He noted that his brush cutter would be finishing up on county road 3030 and starting on county road 3020. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that on Tuesday he and Commissioner Larson attended the Guys Night Out Committee meeting in preparation for the event, which will be the evening of September 26th from 5:00 to 7:00. He added that later Tuesday he attended the GRO meeting and that group have a variety of projects in the works, but right now they were concentrating on improvements to 4th Street. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that on Tuesday she was in Jefferson City attending an election reform meeting with Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, his office staff and a number of legislators. The group is working to identify outdated election laws, looking at updated technology, and changes that can be made to improve the election process. Dent County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Curley was in to discuss a railroad right of way request in Crawford County and some other issues. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning in the Courthouse and it is open to the public.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a semi-pro rodeo, sanctioned by MRCA/URA and produced by Outlaw Rodeo Productions this Labor Day weekend. On Saturday, September 2nd and Sunday, September 3rd beginning at 7:30 each night at The Commons on Highway 72 North, you can watch the spirit of the Old West come alive with events such as team roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and the all-time crowd favorite, bull riding! Advanced tickets are available at The Bank of Salem, Town and Country Bank, Riverways Federal Credit Union, Progressive Ozark Bank and the Salem Chamber office at 200 S Main. Prices are $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 5-11. If you have any questions, or would like to become a vendor, contact Tabatha at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce at (573) 729-6900.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports. On Tuesday, August 15th, deputies were notified that a 19-year old Salem man with a warrant was at Missouri Private Probation Services (MPPS) office. He was arrested and incarcerated in the Dent County Jail. That same day, deputies responded to the Corinth Baptist Church for a report of property damage. Deputies discovered several windows broken on the rear of the building and several light bulbs had been busted. This report is still under investigation. On Wednesday, August 16th, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Dent County Road 4120 near Highway 19. As a result, a 39-year old Salem woman was arrested for driving while having her license suspended. She was fingerprinted and released with a summons to appear in court. On Thursday, August 17th, deputies conducted a traffic stop on McArthur Street near Franklin Street. As a result, a 23-year old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked. He was fingerprinted and released with a summons to appear in court. On August 18th, deputies conducted a traffic stop at Highway 19 and 32. As a result, a 39-year old Salem man was arrested for driving while having their license revoked. He was fingerprinted and released with a summons to appear in court. On Saturday, deputies were conducting a follow up investigation in reference to a theft. Deputies traveled to a residence on Dent County Road 5015 and conducted a consent search. Deputies located several items that tested positive for methamphetamine. As a result, a 54-year old Salem woman was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. She was incarcerated in the Dent County Jail. If anyone has information regarding any ongoing investigation, call 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. Chief Financial Officer Monica Gargus hosted the public tax meeting. The board reviewed the assessed valuations in Dent, Crawford, Iron and Shannon counties that came to a total of $250,544,639. The tax rate proposed is $0.192 per $100 assessed valuation. This rate is the maximum allowed by law this year. This rate will generate about $475,000 that will be used for capital purchases. The board approved the proposed tax rate before closing the tax rate meeting and opening their regular meeting. Chief Financial Officer Monica Gargus gave the statistics report that showed during the month of July there were 57 inpatient admissions with eight acute care patients. There were 1,716 outpatient registrations, 9,500 lab tests, 11 surgical procedures, 924 radiological procedures, 590 rehab treatments and 239 home health visits. For the month, the hospital gained $50,741 before taxes and had an excess of revenues over expenses of $55,380. The days in net accounts receivable jumped to 64 for the month due to some slow Medicaid payments which allowed there to be a $227,289 decrease in cash for the month. Currently the hospital has 82 days of cash on hand. Chief Nursing Officer Debbie Hines discussed the new quality improvement projects for each department with three or four departments being focused on each month. The Hospital Foundation continues to work on the Dancing with the Salem Stars program that will be December 9th and the Golf Tournament that will be held June 8th, 2018. They also approved the purchase of hospital quality patient chairs and recliners for $45,290. They raised $24,000 from last year’s events that will be donated to this cause and they asked the hospital board to cover the remainder of the balance that will be paid back from this fiscal year’s events. The board approved their request. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas reported the Emergency Room Psych Safe Room is near completion. Lucas said the hospital auxiliary will be holding their Masquerade Jewelry Sale on August 31st and September 1st and the Wreath Sales for Christmas will begin September 5th. The Fiscal Year 2019 Finance Committee appointed by Chairman A.J. Seay will be George Gruendel, Dennis Fiebelman and Sue Terry. The board was given the hospital by-laws for their annual by-law review that will be held at the September meeting. The board approved the purchase of a new Endo-Tower Printer for the Surgery Department from Synergy Medical for $1,470 and also approved the purchase of four transport stretchers to replace the old ones in the Surgery Department from Bryton for a total cost of $16,780. Administrator Lucas reported the hospital will sell their 2003 Ford Taurus, their 1995 Ford Pickup and their 1980 Ford Pickup as a truck or just for parts. Lucas also wanted to remind the board about the upcoming Health Fair at the Salem Community Center@The Armory on September 13th and 14th from 6:00 until 9:00 in the morning. It will be the final health fair this year. The board then went into closed session.

The Salem Police Department has released a number of incident reports. On Sunday evening, August 13th at 8:17, an officer was detailed to Ray Lane in reference to a vehicle leaving the scene of an accident. That investigation revealed that the driver of a 1995 Ford truck struck a 2003 Chevrolet Venture van and left the scene. After the investigation, the officer located the vehicle and driver who was a 35-year old Salem male. The suspect was taken into custody for driving while being intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident. He was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On Monday, August 14th, an officer transported a 26-year old Salem male from Missouri Private Probation services to the Dent County Jail due to active arrest warrants from the state of Missouri. The suspect was incarcerated pending a court appearance. Then on Tuesday morning, August 15th at 12:34, an officer located a 30-year old Salem male in the 1300 block of South Wines who had two active arrest warrants from Dent County and Phelps County. The suspect was taken into custody on the warrants and incarcerated pending a court appearance. On Wednesday night, August 16th at 10:26, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The investigation led to the arrest of a 26-year old Salem male for possession of methamphetamine and the possession of drug paraphernalia. The suspect was incarcerated pending the application for a warrant. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

Ron’s Race for a Reason, honoring all local veterans, will be held on September 1st and 2nd at Flat Nasty on 1771 highway ZZ in Jadwin. There will be 2 classes of racing: Truck and Side-by-Side, and the entry fees are $25 which includes camping for one. There will be food provided by the American Volunteers, and a raffle of four Henry rifles as well as various products provided by local businesses. For the kids, Frosty the Snowman will make a special visit and it WILL snow! If you need more information, you can call (573) 729-6668.

Save the Date! Volunteers are needed! I Heart Salem will host a fall clean-up volunteer night on Wednesday, September 6th from 6:00-7:30 p.m. The location and additional details will be announced soon. September is a busy month for special events like the Blue Oval Rally as well as the Alumni Weekend and we can help our town look great for our residents and visitors! If you have any questions, just call 453-2500 or watch the GroSalem.MO Facebook page for details!

The Salem Board of Aldermen met Monday evening in the Council Chambers for their regular meeting. The board approved the lowest bid from L & B Electronics for $3,260 to replace the current repeater antenna and cable at the Salem Police Department. These funds will come from the Capital Improvement Sales Tax. They also approved purchasing two police cars for a total of $46,876 replacing one car and an SUV currently in service. The addition of cages, lights and sirens will bring the total to near the $60,000 approved budgeted amount. The board postponed any action on the bids for a used John Deere Backhoe Loader until it can be determined which department’s current backhoe will be used for trade-in. City Administrator Ray Walden presented two bids for residential trash service that included recycling services as well. The board approved staying with the current trash service, WCA for a rate of $13.65 per month the first year, then $13.92 for year two and $14.20 for year three. This service will include a 96 gallon trash container for each resident as well as an additional 96 gallon recycling container. Recycling will be picked up every other week. Since home pick up for recycling is a new service WCA will provide consumer education opportunities. Mayor Brad Nash called for a Public Hearing in order to open discussion on the setting of a property tax rate for 2017. City Clerk Mary Happel noted the current rate is $0.6484 and the max allowed is $0.6533. This is a $0.0049 total increase. The board approved setting the rate at $0.6533. City Administrator Ray Walden reported that the Former Middle School Committee has identified a consulting firm and will bring a proposal at a future meeting. Under the new fundraising ordinance, Walden and City Auditorium Improvement Committee Chairman, Catherine Dent, asked for approval of a proposed fundraising project schedule. The committee is looking at organizing fundraisers to raise funds to make improvements to the City Hall. This proposal was approved. Walden will bring an employee pay differential list to a future meeting for further discussion. Due to Labor Day the next Alderman meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 5th. The Missouri Community Betterment judges will be in town on September 13th. Under Mayor Nash’s report, he allowed Alderman Haydn Powell to read an open letter to the citizens of the East Ward. The letter wanted to clarify that he resides on the east side of Salem at 705 E. Dent Street. He wanted to clarify his place of residence since there has been some citizens questioning where he resides. He went on to say that although he owns property in the county as well as property at the Lake of the Ozarks and Branson, he is a full time resident in the city. If anyone has questions they can call him directly, his phone number is listed on the city’s webpage. The board approved Bill No. 3340 an ordinance levying a tax rate of $0.6533 for every $100 assessed valuation of real estate and personal property within the city of Salem, for general revenue purposes. The board then adjourned.

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways invites the public to attend an open house on today from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Methodist Fellowship Hall in Eminence, Missouri. The purpose of this open house is to collect information to aid in the development of a new Long Range Interpretive Plan for the park. Park rangers will be available to discuss your ideas for outreach and public programs with you which, in turn, will assist in the development of services that meet the needs of our visitors. The Methodist Fellowship Hall is located at 18228 Church Street in Eminence, approximately 2 blocks west of the intersection of Highway 19 and Highway 106. The Long Range Interpretive Plan will help guide the creation of interpretive and educational programs, outreach efforts, media, exhibits and publications for the next seven to ten years. It will help set goals and priorities for interpretation and education. As part of the process for developing a new long-range plan for interpretive and educational outreach activities at Ozark National Scenic Riverways, it is important to include input and ideas from our stakeholders and partners. Please stop by the open house to share your ideas and feedback! We look forward to hearing from the public and encourage all to visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/ozar or our Facebook page for further updates. For more information, please contact Dena Matteson at (573) 323-4814.

Attorney General Joshua Hawley announced that a Phelps County jury has found 51-year old Charles Curnutt of Houston, guilty of statutory sodomy, endangering the welfare of a child, and four counts of child molestation for sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl over the course of several months. The case was heard on a change of venue from Texas County. The jury watched a recorded interview of the victim in which she described in detail the acts perpetrated upon her by the defendant. Her account was corroborated by testimony of a nurse practitioner confirming physical injuries to the child, the testimony of Missouri State Highway Patrol officers that located the clothing the victim described having worn during the abuse in the defendant’s home, and Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Lab technician that found high levels of the defendant’s DNA on the crotch of the victim’s pajamas. The jury took less than three hours to find Curnutt guilty of all six counts. Phelps County Circuit Judge John Beger has set Curnutt’s sentencing for November 27 at 1pm in Texas County. Curnutt faces up to life plus 67 years. Assistant Attorney General Katharine Dolin tried the case as Texas County prosecuting attorney Parke Stevens had a conflict of interest.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated that the Montauk area received another hard rain this weekend that caused some road damage. He said he has a crew there working on repairing the roads in that area. Purcell indicated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 6370 and 6380 while brush was being cut on county roads 5100, 5103 and 5105. He also attended a tourism tax committee meeting Monday night. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 3240 while only grading would be done on county road 2210. Larson also said brush was going to be cut on county roads 3020 and 3030. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles stated the Missouri Community Betterment Judges will be in Salem the morning of September 13th at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center. He also said he was in Jefferson City Wednesday for a Senate Committee Hearing on prevailing wage. The committee was asking for input from municipalities, counties and school boards in attendance, and those entities who testified were in agreement to ask the legislature to add Missouri to the 13 states that have already repealed prevailing wage since 1979 so they could be better stewards of local tax dollars. On Thursday, Skiles was in Sedalia at Senator Roy Blunt’s Ag Advisory Council meeting where he discussed the need for broadband in this area and also the need to renew the Secure Rural Schools Act that provides payments to the schools. Skiles also said that he wanted to warn residents in Dent County about asphalt, service and building scammers that are in town that will just show up out of nowhere to see if you want work done. They almost always ask for one–half down before any work begins. Skiles says if you don’t know these people, ask them for local references, ask to see their city or county business license, and do not let them in your home. If you have doubts, call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241 or the Salem Police Department at 729-4242. There have already been some instances where people have paid money down for work on their home, driveway, trees, etc and never saw the contractor again. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened in Dent County Sunday night at 9:55 on Dent County Road 3180 about seven miles north of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 1995 Dodge Dakota driven northbound by 20-yaer old Justin Haney of Salem, traveled off the left side of the road, then returned to the roadway where Haney overcorrected and the vehicle went back off the left side of the roadway where the Dakota struck a tree. Suffering Minor injuries were the driver, Haney, and two passengers: 16-year old Shane Murr of Salem and 17-year old Gracie Wethy. All three were taken to the Salem Memorial District Hospital by the Salem EMS. Haney was the only person wearing a seat restraint when the accident happened. The Dakota sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing in Salem.

An accident happened in Crawford County on Highway 19 about one-half mile south of Cuba Saturday afternoon at 1:00. According to the highway patrol report, a 1994 Dodge Van driven north bound by 30-year old Juanita Williams of Steelville, was slowing to make a right hand turn when the van was struck from behind by a 2009 Toyota Corolla driven northbound by 82-year old Avis Barber of Steelville. The van overturned onto its right side. Suffering minor injuries were two passengers in the Dodge Van: 10-year old Mike Hatfield and 57-year old Matthew Williams; as well as the Avis Barber driving the Corolla. All three were taken to the Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan by the Crawford County Ambulance. Both vehicles sustained extensive damage and were removed from the scene by Miles Towing.

An accident happened at 6:17 Thursday evening in Crawford County on Highway 49 about four miles east of Cherryville. According to the highway patrol report, a 1998 Ford F-150 Pickup driven northbound by 23-year old Eric Schmitt of Bixby, traveled off the right side of the roadway. Schmitt overcorrected and the truck crossed the centerline and traveled off the left side of the roadway where the truck struck a road sign, then a tree and finally came to rest in a ditch. Schmitt suffered moderate injuries and was life-flighted to Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur. Schmitt was not wearing a seat restraint when the accident happened. The Ford F-150 Pickup was totaled and removed from the scene by Abney’s Wrecker out of Viburnum.

An accident happened in Dent County Sunday night at 11:20 on Route H about 1/10th of a mile west of Lenox. According to the highway patrol report, a 2005 Chevy Cobalt driven eastbound by 16-year old Makaila Chapman of Salem, traveled off the right side of the roadway when Chapman overcorrected and the Cobalt returned to the roadway and traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree. Chapman suffered moderate injuries and was flown by Air Evac to the University Hospital in Columbia. Chapman was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Chevy Cobalt was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education held their tax rate hearing Thursday evening at 5:50 with only the Salem R-80 Board of Education, building principals and assistant principals and the media present. Superintendent John McColloch explained the tax rates and with reassessment, the operating tax levy came in at $2.40 per $100 assessed valuation, but the state minimum operating tax levy for schools is $2.75 per $100 assessed valuation. McColloch also explained the debt service rate and that the school could raise the rate to $0.70 per $100 assessed valuation, but McCulloch stated the voters voted in a tax rate of $0.45 per $100 assessed valuation and that the school is able to pay back their debt with that tax rate. Superintendent McColloch recommended a continuation of the $2.75 operating levy and a $0.45 debt service levy for a total tax rate of $3.20 per $100 assessed valuation for the district. The regular R-80 board meeting followed with Superintendent McColloch stating the start of school got off to a smooth start with the exception of getting all the bus routes right, but he said that should all be corrected by early next week. Assistant Superintendent John Smith reported that 17 new teachers attended the New Tiger Training on August 10th and 11th led by Tina McKee and Christy Leathers. He said this was an exceptional group with a mix of experienced teachers along some new to the profession. McColloch said the MSBA Annual Conference will be held October 5th through the 8th at Tan-Tar-A and he said for the first time since he has been superintendent, all the board members have signed up to attend. McColloch also said there is some structural problems with the William Lynch Elementary Building with the large bricks above the windows becoming loose. He said a structural engineer will be at William Lynch next week to assess the brick situation. Each building principal gave their report. Kriste Crocker said enrollment at William Lynch was comprised of 70 pre-kindergarten children, 86 kindergarteners and 90 first graders for a total of 246 children. Principal Melanie Wisdom of the Upper Elementary School said as of Friday, they had 35 new students enrolled and 17 current students transfer to other districts. Principal Scott Roberts of the Middle School said enrollment at the middle school currently stands at 217 students. Roberts stated 16 students dropped while 19 new students were added. The student breakdown is 71 sixth graders, 66 seventh graders and 80 eighth graders. High School Principal Marty Anderson reported the current enrollment at the high school is 602 students but that will probably go down a couple of students in the first couple of weeks. The board approved the 2016-2017 Annual Secretary of the Board Report that showed a combined fund balance from Funds 1 and 2 of $3,033,033.29 and Fund 4 for capital projects at $1,471,902.65. McColloch said the cost for educating a student at Salem R-80 is $8,297.52 while the statewide average is approximately $11,000. The board also approved the 2017 tax rate of $2.75 operating levy and $0.45 debt service levy for a total of $3.20 per $100 assessed valuation. The rate is the same as last year. The board went into closed session where they employed Karen Pace for high school math and also Lynette Beeson as an assistant band director. The meeting was then adjourned.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting tonight at 7:00 in the City Hall Council Chambers. A number of bids will be reviewed including three bids to replace the current repeater antenna and cable for the Salem Police Department, the state bid for two police vehicles, and two bids for a used John Deere 410L backhoe loader. Proposals for residential solid waste and recycling for the city will be reviewed and discussed before a contract is awarded. Mayor Brad Nash will call for a Public Hearing in order to have open discussion on setting the property tax rate for the City of Salem for 2017. After the consent agenda, the board will hear City Administrator Ray Walden’s report that will include discussion on a old middle school consultant agreement, a fundraising project for the Salem City Auditorium and a CDL differential request. Walden’s report will be followed by Mayor Nash’s report. In the introduction and reading of bills and resolutions, Bill #3340, an ordinance levying property tax for 2017, will be read. The City of Salem Board of Aldermen meeting will be held tonight at 7:00 in the city hall council chambers and the meeting is open to the public.

A number of events will be held Monday for those who want to watch the solar eclipse. An Eclipse Party will be at the Bonebrake Center from 11:00-2:30. Glasses will be available and Moon pies will be served. Bring your lawn chairs and lunch if you would like. An Eclipse Watch will be held at Echo Bluff State Park at the Bluff Top Pavilion from 11:30-3:00. Telescopes and glasses will be available along with “eclipse mix” to eat! Also, The Ozark National Scenic Riverways will be hosting a solar eclipse viewing event at Alley Spring from 11:30-2:45. A partial solar eclipse will be visible during the entire event, with the peak eclipse occurring at 1:00. Call 573-226-3945 for more information.

An apparent suicide occurred Saturday, August 12th at the Shawnee Mac Conservation Area according to Dent County Deputy Coroner Ben Pursifull. The Dent County Sheriff’s Department contacted the Dent County Coroner’s office at about 10:30 Saturday evening to conduct a death investigation at Shawnee Mac. The investigation showed that Jacob Kenney from Salem died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The report said the body was released to the Fox Funeral Home in Licking.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will hold a tax rate hearing at 5:50 this evening followed by the regular board meeting at 7:00 at the Salem District Administrative Offices Boardroom. At the meeting, the board will hear from Superintendent John McColloch about Professional Development Days, the MSBA Annual Conference and receive a facilities update. The principals from all the schools will give their reports on open houses and the first days of school before the board approves the annual Secretary of the Board’s report and the discusses the proposed tax rate from the hearing held prior to the regular meeting. The board will then go into closed session to discuss personnel. The Salem R-80 Board of Education meeting for Thursday will start with the tax rate hearing at 5:50 followed by the regular board meeting at the District Administrative Office and both are open to the public.

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways invites the public to attend an open house on Wednesday, August 23, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Methodist Fellowship Hall in Eminence, Missouri. The purpose of this open house is to collect information to aid in the development of a new Long Range Interpretive Plan for the park. Park rangers will be available to discuss your ideas for outreach and public programs with you which, in turn, will assist in the development of services that meet the needs of our visitors. The Methodist Fellowship Hall is located at 18228 Church Street in Eminence, approximately 2 blocks west of the intersection of Highway 19 and Highway 106. The Long Range Interpretive Plan will help guide the creation of interpretive and educational programs, outreach efforts, media, exhibits and publications for the next seven to ten years. It will help set goals and priorities for interpretation and education. As part of the process for developing a new long-range plan for interpretive and educational outreach activities at Ozark National Scenic Riverways, it is important to include input and ideas from our stakeholders and partners. Please stop by the open house to share your ideas and feedback! We look forward to hearing from the public and encourage all to visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/ozar or our Facebook page for further updates. For more information, please contact Dena Matteson at (573) 323-4814.

The Meramec Regional Planning Commission and Region I Homeland Security Oversight Committee are sponsoring a free Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training on August 26th-27th at #4 Industrial Drive in St. James. Seating is limited for the class and priority will be given to individuals or groups within Region I – Crawford, Dent, Laclede, Maries, Phelps and Pulaski counties. The class aims at providing citizens within the community with skills to perform essential lifesaving functions while waiting for the professional responders to arrive following a disaster. Each class is approximately 16 contact hours and is spread over two days – Saturday, August 26th from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, August 27th from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CERT has become a highly sought after course by citizens groups, corporations and school systems to train employees how to handle emergencies and disasters. Course topics include disaster fire suppression, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster psychology and team organization. The deadline to register is August 18th. To register or for more information, contact MRPC Senior Community Development Specialist Anne Freand at 573-265-2993 ext. 105 or via email at afreand@meramecregion.org. Funding for the training is provided by the Missouri Department of Public Safety and the Missouri Office of Homeland Security.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a semi-pro rodeo, sanctioned by MRCA/URA and produced by Outlaw Rodeo Productions this Labor Day weekend. On Saturday, September 2nd and Sunday, September 3rd beginning at 7:30 each night at The Commons on Highway 72 North, you can watch the spirit of the Old West come alive with events such as team roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and the all-time crowd favorite, bull riding! Advanced tickets are available at The Bank of Salem, Town and Country Bank, Riverways Federal Credit Union, Progressive Ozark Bank and the Salem Chamber office at 200 S Main. Prices are $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 5-11. If you have any questions, or would like to become a vendor, contact Tabatha at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce at (573) 729-6900.