Local News

The Missouri Department of Agriculture has lifted the suspension of poultry and waterfowl auctions, shows and swap meets in Missouri effective March 24, 2025. The Department suspended waterfowl activity in January in counties impacted by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to help prevent the spread of the virus. HPAI is known to be deadly for domesticated poultry. Missouri State Veterinarian Steve Strubberg Avian Influenza continues to be a risk, especially with spring wild bird migration across the Midwest. He strongly encourage producers to continue a high level of biosecurity protocols to help protect their flock. Specifically, keep your birds from commingling with wild waterfowl. Missouri saw a significant increase in confirmed avian influenza cases over the winter, especially in southwest Missouri. Since the outbreak began in 2022, there have been 60 confirmed cases in Missouri flocks. Poultry producers should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or an unusual increase in death loss to their local veterinarian or the state veterinarian’s office at (573) 751-3377. For more information about avian influenza in Missouri, visit Agriculture.Mo.Gov/avian-influenza.

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors held their regular meeting Tuesday evening at 7:00 in the Doctor’s Library. After approving the meeting agenda and minutes, CEO Brooke Bollman provided her report, in which she highlighted the hospital’s financial progress. She  noted that this was the first time since 2019 that they were ahead financially, and would now be focusing their efforts on improving patient connections, as well as education and training for clinical staff. There will also be more focus placed on recruitment and retention by introducing referral bonuses for hard to recruit positions like nursing and radiology, employee service discounts, and retirement match programs. Financial performance for the month of February showed gross patient revenue at $5.2 million, with total operating revenue at $2.3 million. Management is addressing some accounting and accrual issues and expects to have these corrected by the end of March. The 340B revenue program generated $64,548 in profit for the month. The hospital is actively developing its emergency preparedness capabilities and working on becoming a training entity for emergency medical services, with plans to potentially start on an EMT-B program in June or July. They are also exploring county-wide emergency preparedness drills and expanding their emergency response capabilities. Additionally, they are working on a patient experience project to streamline registration processes and improve overall customer service. Quality and patient satisfaction are key focus areas. The hospital received a five-star rating on Medicare.gov for its long-term care facility, being the only five-star rated facility within 25 miles. They are tracking patient surveys and plan to highlight positive feedback through social media and internal communications. Before adjourning to executive session, the Board voted to move the April meeting from the 29th to the 22nd at 7:00 in the Doctor’s Library.

The sheriff’s office released these reports for March, on Tuesday March 11th deputies arrested a 30-year-old Salem man on an outstanding warrant. Subject was transported to the Dent County Jail. The next day Wednesday March 12th deputies conducted a traffic stop on S. Henderson St. During the course of the stop, the operator was found to have a suspended driving privilege. A 25-year-old Salem man was cited for the offense. Later the same day deputies assisted the Phelps County Sheriff’s Office with the execution of a search warrant in the 45000 block of Highway 72 in Dent County. A 66-year-old Salem man was arrested and placed on a 24-hour hold pending formal charges. Then on Friday March 14th deputies assisted in the investigation of reckless burning on County Road 4090. A fire had spread and caused damage to multiple dwellings & property. The investigation is ongoing. The following week on March 17th deputies conducted a traffic stop on County Road 2530. During the course of the stop, the operator was found to have a suspended driving privilege and outstanding arrest warrants. A 23-year-old Licking man was arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail. Then on Wednesday March 19th deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 4400 block of N. Highway 19. During the course of the stop, the operator was found to have a revoked driving privilege. A 30-year-old Salem man was arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail. If you have any information on an ongoing investigation, call the Dent County Sherriff’s office at 573-729-3241.

The following cases were heard March 18th by Judge Michael Randazzo. Beverly Woods was previously granted probation, over the state’s objection, in June of 2022 for felony possession of methamphetamine as a prior felony offender. A probation revocation hearing was held on January 22nd, 2025, where Prosecutor Curley sought to revoke the defendant’s probation for failing to abide by multiple terms of probation. Judge Randazzo delayed sentencing, over the objection of the state, and passed the matter to March 18th for the defendant to complete in-patient treatment. Defendant did not complete the treatment program and was sentenced to serve 7 years in department of corrections, as recommended by Prosecutor Curley. Daniel Manes was previously placed on probation, over the state’s objection, in May of 2024, for felony resisting arrest and 2 counts of felony possession of methamphetamine as a persistent felony offender. A probation revocation hearing was held for defendant using controlled substances and committing a new felony offense of forgery. At the conclusion of the hearing, the defendant’s probation was revoked, and he was sentenced to a total of 10 years in the department of corrections, as recommended by Prosecutor Curley. Sara Cunningham was previously placed on probation, over the state’s objection, in April of 2024, to multiple counts of felony tampering, kidnapping, resisting arrest and property damage. On March 18th a probation violation hearing was conducted where the defendant acknowledge she had failed to repay victim restitution, report to her probation officer, failed to report a residency change and failed to complete her treatment program. Prosecutor Curley recommended to the Court to revoke defendant’s probation and sentence her to the department of corrections, as previously recommended in 2024. Counsel for defendant sought continued probation in another treatment program. Over the objection of the state, defendant’s probation was not revoked, and the sentencing was delayed for Defendant’s placement into a designated treatment program. Joshua Skaggs was previously placed on probation for felony driving without a valid operating license, as a persistent felony offender. A probation hearing was conducted where the defendant admitted to multiple violations of his probation. Prosecutor Curley sought a 5-year sentence in the department of corrections, to be served. Counsel for defendant requested continued probation. Judge Randazzo order the defendant to serve a 7-year sentence pursuant to RSMo 559.115 (120-day shock incarceration program) and scheduled the case for review on June 25th, 2025, for consideration of release from the 120-day program.

Route 72 in Dent and Reynolds counties will be reduced as Missouri Department of Transportation crews wash bridges along the route. This section of roadway is located from Route A in Dent County to Route 32 in Reynolds County. Route 32 in Dent and Iron counties will be reduced as Missouri Department of Transportation crews wash bridges along the route. This section of roadway is located from Route 72 in Dent County to Route KK in Iron County. Weather permitting, work will take place through Thursday, March 27 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area. For additional information, contact MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636) or visit modot.org/southeast.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said grading will occur on Dent County Roads 4150, 4155, 6245 and 6500, while rock will be added to the roads where needed. He did say brush would be cut on county road 6240. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said a crew would be installing a driveway pipe on county road 2245 and rock would also be added to that road. Williams indicated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2370, 2700, 3120, 4350 and 4353; while rock will also be added to county road 6500. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said Ameren Missouri will be holding public hearings in April to increase the price of natural gas rates. All the public hearings will be at 6:00 and they will be in Cape Girardeau on April 14th, Wentzville on April 16th, and in Jefferson City on April 21st. A virtual public hearing will also be held on April 24th at noon or at 6:00. For all the details, go to the Missouri Public Service Commission website and in the search bar, look for Public Hearings.  Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the no excuse absentee voting for the Municipal Election begins today and the last day to have an absentee ballot mailed out will be Wednesday. Her office will be open for absentee voting on Saturday, April 5th from 8:00 in the morning until 12:00 noon. Curley also said the voting equipment public test will be April 1st at 9:00 in the morning. Curley also said the Secretary of State’s office will be sending out RFQ for a new centralized Missouri voter registration computer system and she was asked and accepted being one of the ten county clerks on the committee. At the last meeting, the Commission agreed 3-0 and signed the Order & Ordinance of the Dent County Commission 3/20/25 adopting the procedures to carry out the purposes and intent of the referendum held on November 5, 2024, in the General Election authorizing a property tax credit pursuant to Senate Bill 190 and 756, known as a “homestead credit.” The Commission also agreed 3-0 to sign Resolution 3/20/25 in support of state funding to assist the SB40 board with the rebuilding of the sheltered workshop in Salem. Jay Stabler with Custom Home Elevators of St Louis came in to visit. He talked about a stair lift, but the Commission will have to get with the Fire Chief to see if that is going to work and not a fire hazard. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and the meeting will be open to the public.

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will meet this evening at 7:00 in the Hospital Library. The call to order and roll call will be followed by the approval of the agenda. Public comments and presentation will be heard, and speakers must sign in and are limited to 3-minute time limit. The minutes of the February 25th meeting will be approved followed by the CEO Report. The Hospital Report including the summary of operation, which will include the approval of the monthly financial, the Chief Nursing Report, the Human Services Report, and the Quality Improvement/Risk Management Report. The Chief of Staff Report will be followed by Old and New Business. The Board will go into Executive Session for discussion with legal counsel and personnel, followed by adjournment. Any person who would like to attend by telephone or electronic means should contact SMH Administration Office at 573-729-6626, extension 4005, to obtain access information. The regular session of the SMH Board of Directors this evening is open to the public.

The Salem R-80 School district held their regular meeting Thursday evening at 5:30 in the administration building. After approving the agenda and consent agenda, Superintendent Dr. Nathan Wills shared communication from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Tammy Schmidt family, the Sue Tucker family and the Licking VFW. Dr. Wills delivered a comprehensive Superintendent’s Report covering numerous topics, including updates on FEMA building construction, the upcoming teacher and staff dress code, and the successful school bus inspection results from March 20th, 2025. He expressed gratitude to the Licking VFW for their generous $1,000 donation to the Salem High School Robotics team and acknowledged the contributions of the Agriculture Department and building staff. Dr. Wills also reported on current teacher openings and the closeout of the Construction Trades Block Development Grant, while announcing Dr. Blau’s appointment as the district’s representative for eighth-grade transition. During new business, the Board unanimously approved the 2025-2026 OPAA contract agreement, an out-of-state trip for Construction Trades/Skills USA, revised gate prices for non-conference activities, and the engagement of Mickes/DeBeer Litigation Group for legal services. The board also held a discussion regarding a Fireworks Display location request. Additionally, the board acknowledged personnel changes including the transfer of Amy Major to an Interventionist position and the retirements of Kim Cooper and Stacey Hall, as well as the resignation of Brianna Corkell. After concluding the public portion of the meeting, the Board moved into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters, before adjourning.

According to court records, 44-year-old Brian Ditch of Salem has been charged with the stealing of $25,000 or more, three counts of the unlawful possession of a firearm, tampering with physical evidence, and abandonment of a corpse. According to the Salem Police Department report from March 21st around 8:00 in the morning, Salem Police officers and Dent County Sheriff’s Department deputies conducted a search warrant in the 1200 block of North Main Street in Salem. Police say the search warrant was an extension of an investigation into a missing persons and fraud case. Authorities found a body at the property, and the Dent County Coroner Ben Pursifull ruled the person deceased. The body was wrapped in several trash bags and placed in a trash can which was then wrapped in more trash bags and placed inside a bigger trash can. An autopsy for the cause of death is underway. Another man is in custody on a 24-hour hold pending the application of the warrants. According to court documents, Ditch apparently was stealing from his uncle, who was a quadriplegic and who not been seen by other relatives since 2019. The court documents also reveal that the uncle was receiving Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits that came to $554,853 over the years. Those funds were being wire transferred to Ditch’s account as he had access to the money as the caretaker.

The Dent County Fire Protection District will host a town hall meeting tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Representatives from Dent County Fire Protection District board, along representatives with the bonding company LJ Hart as well as the Dent County Collector’s Office will be present to answer any and all questions about Proposition Fire. The town hall meeting is open to anyone who wants more information on the proposition.

Last Wednesday afternoon and evening, dry conditions and high winds sparked several wildfires in the southern part of the state on private land, conservation areas, and National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service lands. Even though most of the fires were contained by Thursday morning, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) urges caution as higher-than-normal fire-danger conditions exist across most of southern Missouri. Specially trained MDC firefighting teams from the region worked with the U.S. Forest Service and local fire departments to contain and suppress the wildfires. MDC is also mobilizing staff and equipment from other regions around the state to relieve staff that have been actively fighting fire for several days, including ones burning in and around the Caney Mountain Conservation Area in Ozark County and part of the Current River Conservation Area in Reynolds County.

Christopher Olds, Salem District Ranger for the Mark Twain National Forest, will be the featured speaker at the Dent County Historical Society Speaker’s Series tomorrow at 6:00 in the afternoon. The event will be held at the James and Gahr Family Center in Salem. A community question-and-answer session with Ranger Olds will begin at 5:00, providing an opportunity to meet Olds and interact with members of the Dent County Historical Society Board. Olds, who joined the Salem Ranger District in 2023, brings extensive experience in fisheries and wildlife management. Olds manages areas of the Mark Twain National Forest intersected by the Trail of Tears and actively works with the Cherokee Nation to preserve and educate the public about this historic route. For additional details, contact Dent County Historical Society’s President Deloris Gray Wood at 573-729-2545.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams gave the report on the CART taxes received by the county. She said the county received $74,778.75 this month and that is up $3,990.86 from march of 2024, and year-to-date, the CART taxes are up $21,468.74 which is an increase of 9.5%. Williams also said she was accepted to serve on the Missouri Association of Counties Trust Board which oversees workman’s comp. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said rock will be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 6495 and 6505, while only grading will be done on county roads 6240, 6245 and 6370. Green said brush will be cut on county road 6500 and the county Mantis brush cutter will be taken to get welded. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said rock will be added and grading will be done on Dent County Road 3180 and on the hill of county road 4060. Williams said rock will also be added to county roads 2245 and 2250 where new driveway pipes are being installed. He went on to say brush would be cut on county roads 4270 and 4280, patching will be done on chip and seal county road 3260, and maintenance will be done on some of the equipment. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson stated he attended the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Executive Board meeting Tuesday where new members had to be appointed. He said it appears he will again be the president of the board as he was the only one nominated for the position, but the vote has not yet been taken. He did say that an electronics waste recycling collection and tire disposal would be held at Brewer Science in Rolla on June 14th. He also said he attended the Tourism Tax Committee meeting where five reimbursements were requested and approved. Larson said he has the new pulley for the flagpole, but with the heavy winds expected to continue, the county will not be putting up flags until the part is replaced. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley indicated the excused absentee voting for the Municipal Election continues through April 7th, and non-excused absentee voting will begin on Tuesday, March 25th. The last day to have a ballot mailed out will be Wednesday, March 26th, and her office will be open for absentee voting on Saturday, April 5th from 8:00 in the morning until 12:00 noon. She also said the voters at Oak Hill R-1 will still cast their vote at the school gymnasium on April 8th for the Dent County Fire Protection District Bond Issue. With no school board election, she said there are 242 possible voters registered that will vote at R-1. Curley stated she balanced with the treasurer on all accounts for the month of February. She went on to say that the Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has reported the local election authorities have removed 18,637 deceased persons from the voter rolls in the first 60 days of his term. Curley said a canvassing will be held in the summer to update the rolls from those who have moved, changed their name, or who have not voted in the last two federal elections. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk said the issue with an altered check with Marsha Geninatti that was brought to the attention of the county commission Monday, was resolved after Geninatti met with VanKirk and the issue was investigated. It was asked if the applications for the Homestead Tax Credit would be ready by April 1st and VanKirk said they would be available in her office by Tuesday, April 1st. The applications are free and if you have any questions, please contact Collector Shannon VanKirk at 573-729-3911. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

Salem R-80 Superintendent Nathan Wills reported on an incident that occurred at William Lynch Elementary Wednesday morning at 9:45. Staff detected a suspicious smoke smell and as a precautionary measure, and the fire department was contacted immediately. Firefighters responded promptly, assessed the situation, and determined that there was no active fire or danger to students and staff. There was a blower unit within the ceiling that went out. The building was thoroughly checked, and normal school activities resumed once it was deemed safe. The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority, and we appreciate the quick response from our fire department. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Salem R-80 Central office at 573-729-6642.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be meeting today at 5:30 in the R-80 Board Room. After the Call to Order and the Pledge of Allegiance the Board will approve the agenda and the consent agenda. The Board will hear thank you from the Sue Tucker Family and DESE regarding emergency relocation of the Ozark Hills State School, followed by recognition of William Lynch Elementary students.  In the Superintendent’s Report CSIP Goals will be addressed, there will be an update on the FEMA building, teacher dress code will be addressed, and Senior Citizens passes are to be considered. Also, the Licking VFW will be thanked for their $1,000 donation to the Salem HS robotics team, the Construction Trades Block Development Grant is to be closed out, and Dr. Blau is to represent Salem R80 to Dent County 8th graders and their families for orientation. Administration reports will be heard from William Lynch, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Athletics and Activities, Special Education, Technology, and Maintenance. In new business the board will approve the Opaa contract, approve an out of state trip for 2 Construction Trades students to Skills USA, approve gate prices for non-conference 2025-2026 activities, approve Mickes/DeBeer Litigation Group as attorneys, and discuss Fireworks display location. The Board will address hires and transfers before adjourning and moving into Executive Session to hear personnel issues.

Missouri Department of Conservation staff, partner federal agencies, and partnering fire departments fought more than 224 wildfires covering more than 15,500 Missouri acres between March 10th through the 16th. Dry conditions and high winds sparked hundreds of wildfires around Missouri last week, primarily on March 13th and 14th before severe thunderstorms and tornados swept into the state and quenched many of the blazes. While more than 20 homes and numerous vehicles and outbuildings were lost to the flames, there were no reported injuries or deaths. More than 90 specially trained Department of Conservation staff responded to 83 of the wildfires around the state, covering nearly 9,000 acres. According to the department, the Camdenton area in central Missouri had 42 fires with a total of 6,086 acres burned, including 761 acres on Granny’s Acres Conservation Area in Benton County. More than 30 MDC staff responded. Department of Conservation staff fought 19 fires in the Ozark region of the state covering nearly 1,500 acres, including nearly 300 acres of conservation lands. They reported that extreme weather conditions had one of its teams fighting a fire one minute and then taking shelter in a Dent County homeowner’s basement for a tornado warning the next. Department staff in the St. Louis region assisted with six separate fires covering nearly 300 acres, including in Davisville, on Highway 47 near Potosi, on 178 acres at River ‘Round Conservation Area in Franklin County, and on nearly 80 acres on the Glassberg Family Conservation Area in Jefferson County. Staff also assisted local fire departments in containing a 12-acre fire on private land in Reynolds County north of Current River Conservation Area. While these fires have been contained and extinguished, the National Weather Service still has Red Flag Warnings for parts of Missouri. A red flag warning is issued to inform the public, firefighters, and land management agencies that conditions are ideal for wildfire ignition and rapid spread. Some wildfires are set by vandals. Help stop arson by calling Operation Forest Arson at 800-392-1111. Callers will remain anonymous and rewards are possible. 

Campground and access point repairs are continuing at Ozark National Scenic Riverways following a record-setting flood in November 2024. Tentative plans for summer operations have been set. Some areas may look different than in the past, with altered landscapes and amenities. Areas that were heavily damaged may remain closed in 2025. Starting with developed campgrounds and group sites, major repairs are still needed at Akers, Round Spring and Pulltite. Akers and Round Spring are expected to reopen their group sites by Memorial Day, while Pulltite is expected to partially reopen around the same time. Updates on reservations for these locations will be posted on Recreation.gov, Facebook and the park website. During the flood, Pulltite sustained the most damage of any park location. The front half of the campground was scoured by floodwaters, and multiple amenities were destroyed or made inoperable. However, the two restroom buildings farther back are in good condition. As a result, a partial reopening is planned by Memorial Day weekend. As expected, the number of sites at Pulltite will be temporarily reduced. All three group sites are expected to reopen, but only about 35 family sites will reopen. Approximately 20 sites will likely remain closed pending major repairs to the landscape, roadways and restroom/shower house. Restrooms will be available at Group Site 1, Group Site 3 and the amphitheater. Showers will be available at the Group Site 1 restroom building. Reservations for all available campsites should be made on Recreation.gov. Pulltite landing is a high priority for the maintenance division as they work to ensure smooth operation for the summer season. Pavement and parking repairs are key challenges. Visitors should be mindful of construction zones and closures during the work. Backcountry campgrounds are expected to open in time for the summer season unless unforeseen delays or additional flooding occur. Sinking Creek, Cedar Grove, Jerktail and Broadfoot all require further work. The park will post updates as these campgrounds open. The exception is the Dee Murray Campground and it will remain closed due to heavy flood damage, but the day-use area is expected to open alongside other backcountry sites. The reopening of some campgrounds may occur earlier or later than Memorial Day. We appreciate your patience as crews complete repairs. For questions and updates, call (573) 323-4236. To reserve developed campsites, go to Recreation.gov or call (877) 444-6777. For more information on developed, backcountry or primitive camping options, visit the park’s camping page at go.nps.gov/OZARcamping.

According to the Salem Police Department, the City of Salem will be testing the Storm Sirens this morning at 10:00.  If there is any inclement weather the test will be postponed to Wednesday, the 26th.

At the Dent County Commission meeting Monday morning, Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson as well as District 1 and 2 Commissioners, Keith Green and Jimmy Williams, wanted to thank all the first responders, Intercounty Electric and all the fire departments for their assistance in controlling and putting out the fire in northeastern Dent County. Marsha Geninatti was in attendance about an altered check from the Collector’s office and was told by the Missouri Attorney General’s office to take her concern to the commissioners. The commission told her she would need to talk with the collector directly about the issue as they have no control over the operations of her office except when it came time to prepare the budget. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Green said grading will occur on Dent County Road 6090, and crews will try to get to all the roads used during the rally over the weekend, but that may take a couple of days as crews will have to fix a tire on one of the graders before it can be used. Rock may also be added to the race routes where needed. Brush could be cut on county road 6300 if they can get the brush-cutter welded. District 2 Commissioner Williams said patch grading will be done on the hills on Dent County Roads 2330 and 3334, while grading will be done on county road 3180. Williams said rock will be added to county roads 2330, 3180, 4330 and 4340, and crews will also be checking the roads used during the road rally for any needed repairs. Commissioner Larson said he attended the South Central County Commissioner Association meeting in Houston Friday and reported there is very little movement on Senate Bill 57 concerning sales tax on groceries. He also attended the MRPC meeting Thursday and heard from Michael King from Vesper Energy for Vichy Solar. The project is designed to create long-term economic growth for Maries County. Over the life of the project, it is expected to bring in millions of dollars in tax revenue which directly benefits the community, local schools, and other organizations most in need. Larson attended the Ozark Solid Waste Management Board meeting Tuesday.  He also apologized for not having the flag out Friday as there is a ball bearing out on the pulley. He said that is being repaired and flag should be flying everyday, but it will be harder to raise and lower the flag. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the excused absentee voting for the Municipal Election continues through April 7th, and non-excused absentee voting will begin on March 25th. The last day to have ballot mailed out will be March 26th, and her office will be open for absentee voting on Saturday, April 5th from 8:00 in the morning until 12:00 noon. Curley also said the voting equipment public test will be April 1st at 9:00 in the morning. At the last meeting, Dent County Health Department Director Zach Moser updated the commissioners with their monthly update. Also last Thursday, the commissioners visited the William Lynch Elementary School to look at their stair chairlift. Custom Home Elevators of St. Louis installed that one and after being called by Commissioner Larson, they will have representative here March 24th. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Missouri Rural Water Association (MRWA) returned to the Branson Convention Center in March for its 2025 Annual Conference after a 5-year hiatus following the country’s shutdown from the COVID-19 pandemic. A record 900 Missourians made themselves at home in the convention center for most of the four-day event. This year’s participants included city council and district board members, managers, office professionals, water and wastewater specialists, spouses, vendors, and MRWA board and staff members. At the conference, numerous water system representatives from distant parts of the state brought water samples to compete for one of the top spots in the MRWA Show-Me-Tap-Water-Roundup. Preliminary judging at the conference narrowed the field to five finalists. Those samples selected as superior in the three judging categories of clarity, bouquet, and taste were from four municipalities and a subdivision. The top five were the City of Berger, the City of Koshkonong, the City of Salem, the City of Waverly and the Stonebridge West Subdivision. Water specialists from these systems will bring a quart of water to the MRWA Open House on April 23rd for final judging. The ultimate winner will receive an MRWA WaterDrop trophy and represent Missouri in the 2026 NRWA Great American Water Taste Test, competing against entries from all other states. The winner also receives from MRWA, flight and hotel accommodation for two system representatives to attend this event in Washington, D.C.

The Missouri Department of Revenue has temporarily closed the license office in Rolla, located at 1038 S. Bishop, due to storm damage sustained on March 15. A reopening date has not yet been determined. Customers needing motor vehicle and driver licensing services are encouraged to visit nearby offices, including here in Salem, local residents should be aware that this could increase wait times. While utility and internet services are being restored in Rolla, local residents unaffected can access online services for license plate renewals, check registration renewal requirements, or use the Department’s chatbot “DORA”, for assistance. Additionally, vehicle and watercraft registrations can be renewed by calling (573) 751-1957, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM.

The tornado that struck the Rolla community has been confirmed as an EF2. The storm caused significant damage, with over 750 structures affected within Rolla city limits. An additional 150+ structures are estimated to have been damaged outside Rolla within Phelps County. Utility teams are actively working across the 

area to restore services, and they have a goal of doing so within a week. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is saddened to report a weather-related fatality resulting from a generator being operated inside a residence. They urge everyone to prioritize safety by never operating generators indoors or near residences. The damage across the region is extensive, and the recovery journey will be challenging. Citizens are being asked to please remain patient as response teams work tirelessly and to continue to check on your neighbors. Volunteers are still needed to assist with cleanup efforts. If you can help, check in at the Big Lots on 1001 S Bishop in Rolla, from 9 to 5. Donated supplies can also be brought to the Big Lots parking lot. Anyone in need of cleanup assistance is encouraged to call 573-415-9878.

The City of Salem Utility Committee held their regular meeting last Tuesday evening at 6:15 in the auditorium. After approving the agenda and meeting minutes, the Committee voted on services from Hometown Grid, which includes flex pricing of $3,000 up front, $10,000 to be paid in the first year, and a total of $7,008 for the remaining four years, plus costs for tests and messages. The funds for the upfront costs for year one will be pulled from prior year reserves and the costs will be included in the budget and rate calculations for future years. The committee approved this proposal, with member Harold Hamilton abstaining. The committee then discussed the Phase 2B sewer plant improvements with an estimated cost of $5.6 million. The City was awarded about $2.75 million in grant funds, leaving approximately $2.1 million remaining to be financed. Regarding the sewer budget and rates for fiscal year 2026, the Committee voted to maintain the base rate at $12 but increase the volume rate to $11.04. These increases will leave a surplus of about $2,600 in the sewer fund. That will help to repay the bond for the sewer plant improvements. A public hearing for the rate increase will be announced at a later date. The committee received updates on billing, net metering, and the MPUA and MMMPEP meetings. During his report, Public Works Director Steve Paine stated they continue to work with FEMA and that 72 more hydrants should be serviced this year, with the remainder to be completed in the next fiscal year. The discussion about utility policy changes and updates have been tabled and a special meeting will be held on the evening of March 26th at 6:15, and will be open to the public. With no major questions or comments from those in attendance, the meeting adjourned.

The Salem Police Department has recently released their report for the month of February. The department responded to 18 accidents during the month. Officers responded to four alarms sounding and addressed 51 animal calls, investigated two assaults or fights, a burglary, performed 13 well-being checks and 15 area checks in February. Police investigated 11 domestic disputes, five verbal disturbances and one physical disturbance, conducted 24 follow-up investigations and provided 16 escorts. They investigated five harassment reports, a parking complaint calls, an intoxicated pedestrian one leaving without paying report, three trespassing calls and four property damage reports. The Salem Police wrote eight stealing reports, responded to nine traffic complaints and assisted two motorists. Officers responded to a report of a suicidal person, seven suspicious circumstance calls, five suspicious person calls, and three suspicious vehicle calls. The Salem Police in February investigated two reports of shots fired, two sex offense calls, and checked out an abandoned vehicle call. Officers attempted to serve four warrants and conducted 41 traffic stops during the month. The police responded to a total of 351 incidents in February with the average response time to calls being two minutes and three seconds. The average time spent on the scene was 32 minutes and 41 seconds. If you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation, contact the Salem Police Department by calling their non-emergency phone number at (573) 729-6550 or speak with them in person at 500 N. Jackson Street in Salem.

Reports from the Dent County Fire Protection District and Dent County Emergency Management from the wildfire Friday in northeastern Dent County around Dent County Roads 4090 and 4060 indicate that two homes were destroyed, four vehicles were burned, and two outbuildings were lost. There were no injuries or fatalities reported. It is thought the approximate size of this fire was around 750 acres. Numerous responders assisted with the fighting of the fire included members of the Dent County Fire Protection District, Lenox Rural Fire Department, Jadwin Volunteer Fire Department, Montauk Rural Fire Department, the Dent County Sheriff’s Department and the Missouri Department of Conservation. Numerous citizens also volunteered their services to assist the firefighters, and according to Dent County Emergency Management Director Derrick Marfitt, they included David Gray for bringing in a skid steer to establish fire lines, Kasey Hayes and Cordell Hornbeck for bringing water and setting up a rehab area for the firefighters, Dent County Fire Protection District Board Member Jeffrey Stokes, Jr for bringing in supplies for rehab and moving trucks for the fire crews, Gary Lay for bringing out his tractor, a family of Mennonites who brought over rakes and blowers, not to mention a number of others who offered their assistance if needed. Also assisting were off duty deputies, Dispatch Supervisor Whitney Capps for providing support to the dispatchers on duty, and City of Salem Emergency Management Director Chris Shell who was monitoring the dangerous weather situation approaching the area. The fire spread quickly by the intense winds and dry conditions and was finally extinguished following the rains that came through Friday evening that was part of the intense storm system that spawned a tornado that went through and hit the City of Rolla, the St. James area and rural Phelps County. 

The team of Brandon Semenuk and Keaton Williams took 1st place at the 2025 100-acre Rally in the Woods in their Subaru WRX ARA25 with a time of 1:29:19, beating the team of Conner Martell and Alessandro Gelsomino in their 2015 Subaru WRX Sti who finished with a time of 1:31:04 falling short by about 1.9 seconds. Finishing in 3rd place was the team of Ryan Booth and Nick Dobbs in their 2024 Skoda Fabia RS Rally 2 as they finished with a time of 1:39:43. The ARA wants to thank everyone the Park Expose and those at the spectator points for attending, as well as all the volunteers and officials that worked had to make sure this was a successful event.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 5380, 5580 and 6580, while repairs are still being made to the Mantis brush cutter. Green said grading would also be done on county road 6590. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said workers would be adding rock and removing a tree from county road 5305, and adding riprap rock around a bridge on county road 5300. Williams said brush would be cut on county roads 4280, while rock will be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 3300 and 3310. Grading will also be done on county roads 2330, 2340 and 5225; while additional rock will be added to county roads 5300, 5305 and 2240. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he attended the MRPC board meeting Thursday night and will be attending the South Central County Commissioner meeting this morning in Houston. Larson recommended and the other commissioners agreed to appoint Ray Walden to the Meramec Community Enhancement Corporation as a representative of Dent County. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the first day to vote absentee with no excuse will be March 25th, and the last day to mail out a ballot for the Municipal Election will be March 26th. Excused absentee voting continues at the courthouse until April 7th. At the last meeting, the commission appointed Troy Bemis to the Tourism Tax Committee. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday morning at the courthouse at 9:00.

This year’s 100-Acre in the Wood Rally will start off today in Washington County and continue tomorrow in Dent County only. There were 61 entries as of Tuesday morning that will compete this year in one of the most popular venues on the road rally tour. The City of Potosi will kick off the event Friday at 12:00 with their Parc Expose followed by two spectator points at Stage 3 around 2:25, and Stage 7 around 6:15. On Saturday, the Rally moves to Dent County where the Parc Expose on 4th Street in Salem around the courthouse square will start at 9:30 giving fans another opportunity to see their favorite teams up close before the Rally begins. Saturday also provides spectators several opportunities to see the cars on course at full speed starting at Stage 10 at 11:30 in the morning as well as afternoon locations starting at Stage 12 at 1:28 which this year has an admission charge, stage 13 A&B at 2:14, Stage 15 at 5:03, and Stage 17 A&B at 7:34. Maps on the locations of the spectator points are available at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce in the Crossroads Shopping Center or you can also access the maps on the American Rally Association website: www.americanrallyassociation.org/100aw. There is no charge for the maps. The 100AW organizers would like to remind all rally participants and spectators that Missouri’s “No Trespassing” Laws and “Purple Paint” Statute are still in effect during the rally and are asking everyone to watch for those signs and purple paint on trees, etc. Please respect all property owners by avoiding private property and if a landowner does not want you to spectate on their land, please move to a new location.

An accident happened in Reynolds County in Bunker on Highway 72 Wednesday evening at 5:10. According to the highway patrol report, a 2014 Dodge Ram driven eastbound by a 74-year-old man from Bunker, failed to yield to a 2005 Ford Escape driven eastbound by a 17-year-old girl from Bunker resulting in a collision. The 17-year-old woman was transported by the Iron County EMS to Salem Memorial District Hospital with moderate injuries. The highway patrol was assisted at the scene by the Reynolds County Sheriff’s Department, Reynolds County Fire Department, the Reynolds County First Responders and the Iron County EMS. Both vehicles sustained moderate damages and were removed from the scene by Rowdy’s Towing at the request of the vehicle owners. The girl was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident while the 74-year-old man was not.