Local News

This past Tuesday night, the Salem Memorial Hospital Board held their regular meeting in the hospital library. During the Administrator’s Report, Interim CEO Wes Murray noted that SMH’s service prices are significantly lower than those of surrounding hospitals. He said efforts are underway to overhaul the Charge Master. Murray also reported active recruiting measures are being taken to find a Speech Pathologist to improve the Swing Bed patient service and retention. He also mentioned the hospital is currently applying to administer vaccines to children, particularly those without insurance or on Medicaid. A review of cost-cutting strategies included significant reductions or the complete removal of various service contracts and marketing expenses, alongside a focus on departmental efficiencies. It was discussed that these cost-cutting measures, though unpopular, are not necessarily permanent but are currently necessary. The board then reviewed the Summary of Operations for the month of May. Admissions for Medical/Surgical, Swing Beds, and Observation were all down compared to May of last year and were at or below the 2024 average. Outpatient registrations were down by 389 compared to this time last year. The number of long-term care residents remained at 17. Emergency room visits were consistent with this year’s average at 626. The hospital’s total assets stand at $12.5 million, reflecting a net decrease of $3.7 million compared to May 2023. The Cash Flow Statement showed a monthly cash flow decrease of $145,061, though Days Cash on Hand remained steady at 27. The 340B Program continued to show positive revenue, outperforming expenses in four out of the five recorded months this year. In the Chief Nursing Officer Report, several current openings were noted, including five full-time RN/LPN positions, the Chief Nursing Officer position, and a Long-Term Care Director. It was mentioned that applications were low, and there is renewed interest in restarting the Student Nursing Program. In May, there were eight new hires and twelve departures. The Matching Funds obligation to receive the remaining State funds, secured by Representative Ron Copeland, was achieved in May. The Strategic Plan and Tax Levy Increase remain tabled by the board. The budget approval process is still ongoing as the board went into closed session. The next scheduled meeting will be held on July 16.

The Salem Police department has released their report for the month of May. The department responded to 19 accidents during the month. Officers responded to ten alarms sounding and addressed 26 animal calls, investigated three assaults or fights, four burglaries, performed nine well being checks and 11 area checks in May. Police investigated 11 domestic disputes, 11 verbal disturbances, conducted 33 follow-up investigations, and provided 15 escorts. They investigated two nuisance violations, three harrassment charges, two reports of fraud, took one missing persons report, and offered assistance to three motorists. The Salem Police wrote two property damage reports, made ten stealing reports, had five parking complaints and responded to eight traffic complaints. Officers investigated a shoplifter report, one sex offense charge, 16 suspicious circumstance calls, eight suspicious person calls, and five suspicious vehicle calls. Officers attempted to serve four warrants and conducted 46 traffic stops during the month. The police responded to a total of 446 incidents in May with the average response time to calls being two minutes and nine seconds. The average time spent on the scene was 23 minutes and 19 seconds.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be holding their regular meeting this evening at 5:30 in the Salem R-80 board room. After the consent agenda is approved the Board will hear communications followed by public comment by Kyla Slayer from ROAR. Reports from Dr. Reed and Dr. Wills will be heard before the principal reports are heard from William Lynch, the Upper Elementary, the Middle School, and the Senior High. Clay Moody will then give an update on athletics and activities followed by reports on Special Education and Technology. In new business, the board will review and accept roof repair bids, approve the resolution to transfer 7% WADA from Fund 1 to Fund 4 for the purpose of paying ineligible costs of the FEMA building, Signature Bank lease purchase. The board will then approve participating in the State Baseline Salary Grant of $40,000 per teacher, approve amending the 2023-2024 budget to reflect actual expenditures and revenues, approve the 2024-2025 budget, approve a revision of Board Policy JG-R2, plus approve payment of customary bills that may need to be paid between this board meeting and June 30th, 2024. The Board will hear resignations and then adjourn into Executive Session to discuss student issues and personnel. The Board will then return to open session to adjourn. The Salem R-80 School District meeting is open to the public.

The City of Salem Finance Committee Meeting will be held tonight at 5:30 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory to discuss, review and recommend the 2024-2025 fiscal year budget for the City of Salem. The meeting is open to the public.

Do you have your tickets for the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Music Festival this Saturday at the Commons? The concert will feature the Crowe Boys from New Orleans with opening act, Devon Sutterfield from Salem and St. James. The gates open at 6:00 and the live concert begins at 7:00. Sutterfield was featured recently on “The Voice” while the Crowe Boys have had success on the Internet with their single “Where Did I Go Wrong” and “The Simple Truth Hurts.” Tickets are available for $30 and are available at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and online at croweboys.com. There will be food trucks, a beer garden and more! To find out about the concert or tickets, contact the Salem Chamber of Commerce at 573-729-6900.

The City of Salem wants to remind everyone that the new Servline Protection Program for city water lines will begin July 1st and will offer up to $2,500 coverage per occurrence against high service bills that are caused by unexpected leaks. The cost of the program for residential customers is $2.35 per month and $2.50 per unit per month for Residential Master Metered Multi-Habitational customers. Commercial customers will be charged $6.50 per month for a single occupancy and $13.00 per month for a multiple occupancy location. All eligible City of Salem customers are automatically enrolled in this optional program, so if you don’t want it, you have to opt out and you only have until June 30th to do so. Otherwise the charges will appear on your utility bill when the program goes live on July 1st. Call 1-844-952-0741 to find out more information about the program including a copy of the full terms and restrictions, or to opt out of the program and decline protection. Those who keep the program can cancel at any time, but if you wanted to re-enroll, you would have to wait 30 days to do so. If a water customer declines the coverage by opting out, they will be accepting full responsibility for all excess water charges caused by the leak. If a customer has the coverage and they have an exceedingly high water bill caused by usage due to a qualifying leak or line break, the City of Salem’s leak loss protection program covers the utility bill once the active cause of the leak has been repaired. Again, if you want to “opt out” of the Servline Protection Program for your city water service, call 1-844-952-0741 before July 1st.

As more Americans plan July 4th celebrations, the Division of Fire Safety is reminding Missourians to put fireworks safety first this Independence Day. Public fireworks displays not only offer the best sights, they are the safest, but if folks choose to use consumer fireworks, please handle them with extreme caution and do not allow children to use fireworks. Remember, within the city limits of Salem, the discharge of fireworks is legal for individuals 18 years of age or older, or those under the supervision of a parent, guardian or person 18 years old or older between the period of July 1st and July 6th. By ordinance, those discharging fireworks may only do so between the hours of 8:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night except on July 4th when the hours shall be 8:00 in the morning until midnight. Only Class 1.4G fireworks in unmodified form shall be discharged. Fireworks sales at seasonal retailers are legal in Missouri starting June 20th and lasting until July 10th. Please keep in mind that July 4th is not only the busiest day of the year for fireworks, it is the busiest day of the year for fires. About 40 percent of Independence Day structure fires are the result of fireworks, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Across the U.S. in 2022, fireworks started an estimated 18,500 fires according to NFPA. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2022, eleven peopleacross the United State died as the result of fireworks, with victims ranging from 11 to 43 years old; 10,200 people were treated for injuries in hospital emergency rooms nationally with children under 15 years of age accounting for 28% of the 2022 injuries. The Product Safety Council also said that about 43% of selected and tested fireworks were found to contain illegal components that could cause severe injuries. In Missouri, about 250 people go to emergency rooms each day with fireworks-related injuries in the 30 days around July 4th. Missourians who choose to use consumer fireworks should only use fireworks in a large open space that has been cleared of flammable materials, make sure to have a garden hose or a bucket of water nearby in case of a fire, only light fireworks one at a time; never try to re-light fireworks that have malfunctioned, and dispose of fireworks by soaking them in water and leaving them in a trash can. For questions or concerns about firework safety, firework rules, or firework dealers, contact the Division of Fire Safety at (573) 751-2930.

An accident happened in Dent County Monday morning just after 10:00 on Highway 32 about 17 miles east of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2007 Chrysler Sebring driven westbound by 31-year old Dallas Agers of Salem, traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a fence. Agers suffered minor injuries and was transported to the Salem Memorial Hospital. The Chrysler Sebring sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing. It was unknown if Agers was wearing a seat restraint.

The Creative Arts Center will be holding a Hand-stamped Copper Jewelry making class on Friday evening from 6:30-8:30 with Leann Light. The class is open to all children 14 years of age and older. You will learn how to stamp on metal, add texture (if you wish), make a chain and assemble your necklace. At the end of the class, you will take home a custom stamped, one of a kind, piece of jewelry created entirely by you. All tools and materials will be provided. You can choose up to three metal discs and add a charm or crystal, or both, all on a 20 inch stainless steel chain. The cost of the class is $50 and that includes all your supplies. at least two people need to sign up for the class which will be limited to no more than six students.To register, go the SACBA website and find the Programs tab. Find the Creative Arts Center and click to register for the class. Registrations online are on a first come, first serve basis.

On Thursday, the Mudbugs will spend time outdoors at the Bonebrake Center of Nature and History exploring the grounds trying to find evidence that Bigfoot has returned. The activity will last about 1 hour and targets kids between the ages of 6 and 12 or so, but all ages are welcome. All events are held at the Bonebrake Center from 2:00 until 3:30. A donation to the Bonebrake Center of $2.00 per child is appreciated. They ask that a parent or legal guardian accompany your children (in case any emergency medical situations should arise). For more information, e-mail Janet Price at moonshadowmomentsllc@gmail.com. Don’t forget to check them out on Facebook!

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular Monday morning meeting. At the meeting, Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams gave her sales tax report for the money collected this month. She said the General Revenue Fund and Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund each received $103,208.48 which is $8,460.98 more than for June of 2023. Year-to-date, the General Revenue Fund and the LEST funds are up about $19,242.48. The Road and Bridge Fund received $48,107.09 this month, up $3,609.71 more than June 2023. Year-to-date, that fund is up $7,442.91. The Jail Operating and Trust funds each received $96,635.91 in May and that is up $7,219.18 from the 2023 receipts of $89,416.73. Year-to-date, those funds are up $16,076.87. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 5520, while only grading would be done on Dent County Road 5080. Another grader is having maintenance performed on it including getting new blades before it returns to duty. Mobray said a man would be heading to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal repair. Mobray was also sending to Representative Ron Copeland a list of all the county road apron approaches to state highways from District 1 and District 2 that need to be repaired or replaced. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 2200 in preparation for it to be chip and sealed. Grading was also going to be done on county road 4330 and brush was going to be cut on county road 5305. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson reported on the TAC meeting held last Thursday and on the External Relations Committee meeting before the MRPC meeting. He said the MRPC’s Annual Awards Dinner and Banquet would be held in Linn, Missouri at the Osage View Event Center on the campus of Linn State Technical College. The proposed date is October 24th and the cost of dinner is $40 per plate. He also said the Dent County Toy Drive would be holding their Christmas in July fundraiser on Saturday, July 27th from 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon at The Commons. They will have a craft show, poker run, cruise-in, Bar-B-Cue, silent auction, live music and more. There will be free carnival games for the kids. People can bring a toy to help fill their truck and you can even get a picture with Santa by the beach. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said excused absentee voting for the August will begin on June 25th while the last day to register to vote will be July 10th. She also said electioneering within 25 feet of the courthouse is prohibited beginning June 25th and that includes political T-shirts and even caps. Curley also wants to remind voters that if you have moved and changed addresses, or changed names due to marriage or divorce, to please stop by her office and get those voter registrations updated. Further, Curley wants to remind all voters that the August 6th election is a Primary and voters MUST select a political party ballot. They have their choice this year of Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or a non-partisan ballot that will include only issues in the county to be voted on. At the last meeting, Mike Elliott of Town and Country Insurance visited with the commission on their insurance claims from the hail damage. Sheriff Bob Wells was also in to discuss the hail damage insurance claims on deputies vehicles. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

The City of Salem Planning and Zoning Board of Commissioners will be meeting tonight at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road. A public hearing will be held at 6:00 followed by a public meeting on five requests. The first request is to rezone 1104 South Gertrude from Residential R-1 to commercial for a retail boutique owned by Michelle Watkins followed by a request to rezone 704 South Askins from R-1 to R-2 for the construction of a two-family dwelling on property owned by Maynard Larson. The third request will be to subdivide Lot 3 of the Scenic Rivers Plaza Subdivision located on Commercial Avenue for the building of a grocery store owned by Ridge Properties, LLC followed by a request for the subdivision of 705 North Henderson into two parcels made by owners James and Cheridal Nicholson. The last request to be heard will be for a conditional use for 1509 South Louise Street for the installation of a 26- foot by 48-foot manufactured home on property owned by Michael Florence. The hearing and meeting are both open to the public

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will hold their regular meeting at 6:00 in the hospital library this evening. At the meeting, Interim Administrator Wes Murray will give his report before the board hears the summary of operations for the month of May as well as statistics for the month. The board will hear about the 340B program, receive the Chief Nursing Officer report and be updated on Human Resources. In old business the Board will be updated on State and Match Funding, plus receive an update on Strategic Planning. The board will also discuss a tax levy increase. In new business, the Board will discuss and approve a new budget before going into closed session. The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors meeting tonight is open to the public. To attend the meeting electronically, contact the hospital administration office at (573) 729-6626, extension 4005.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors will hold a special called meeting Wednesday at 6:00 at the Fire Station at #2 South Main Street. After the call to order and roll call, the Board will go into closed session to discuss personnel. Upon return from closed session, the meeting will be adjourned.

Nineteen art reproductions of paintings by Rudolph (Rudy) Wendelin, courtesy of Mark Twain National Forest, will be displayed this summer at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center in Salem. The Wendelin exhibit will showcase the historic artist’s iconic Smokey Bear campaign imagery that he created during his decades of service to the U.S. Forest Service, starting in the 1930s. The exhibit will be on public display at the ONCRC starting TODAY and lasting through July 12th, Monday through Friday from 9:00 in the morning to 5:00 in the afternoon. On loan from the USDA National Agricultural Library, these replica paintings were completed from 1977 through 1995 and remain the most famous depictions of Smokey Bear. Painter Rudy Wendelin worked for the Forest Service as an illustrator beginning in 1933 and was the mastermind behind Smokey’s human-like appearance in his signature ranger hat and blue jeans. Thanks to Wendelin’s art, Smokey’s message “Only YOU can prevent wildfires” has prevailed through the generations. Jordan Mays, Community Engagement Specialist for Mark Twain National Forest helped arrange this special event and hopes it will spread awareness of Smokey Bear and his important message of caring for forests through wildfire prevention. Forest Service staff, art presentations, educational content, commemorative memorabilia, and special appearances by Smokey Bear will occur at times during the scheduled showing. The ONCRC is located at 202 S Main St in Salem. Updates about special appearances, like when Smokey Bear will be in attendance, will be shared on the Mark Twain National Forest’s Facebook page. If you have any questions about the exhibit, contact Jordan Mays at (573) 210-5393 or the Forest’s office in Salem at (573) 729-6656.

A Kids Summer Art Camp will be held Monday, June 24th to Friday, June 28th from 8:00 in the morning until noon for four hours each day. The instructors will be Tana Kettner, Danielle Norris as well as other teachers from the Creative Arts Center. This camp is for children between the ages of 6 and 16 and parents need to sign up their children by TODAY. The cost is $120 for the five days or it is $25 per day. All supplies for the week are included as well as a small snack each day. Do not let your little ones miss out on Art Camp 2024!! Your kids will get to do some amazing art projects, as well as learn valuable art skills. They cannot wait to get creative with your children and create masterpieces! The camps will feature visiting artists with special additional projects such as: tie dye, sculpture, squeegee art, watercolor painting, glass fusing, acrylic painting, paper mache, decoupage, and so much more! Parents…when checking out please add a T-shirt size to your order! All ticket sales close on June 17th to allow time to order t-shirts. All extra proceeds go towards the Arts Center fundraising goal.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new and improved Red Bluff Campground on Mark Twain National Forest will take place TODAY at 11:00 this morning at the new pavilion near the campground host’s campsite. This grand opening celebration will highlight the new and modernized camping facilities at this beautiful site. To provide the public a chance to enjoy all this site has to offer, Forest Service officials have waived all fees for camping and day-use activities at Red Bluff today. Guided tours of the site and its improvements including new campsites, showers, a dump station, additional paved loops, as well as improved electric and water will be presented to visitors immediately following the ribbon cutting ceremony. In the past, flooding from storms repeatedly damaged campsites, roads, and facilities located in the floodplain at Red Bluff. Visitors are welcome to arrive earlier if they choose. Parking will be available by the old well house and by the Sitze Pavilion. The entrance to Red Bluff Recreation Area is located on Route V in Crawford County, about one mile east of Davisville. A map of Red Bluff is available on the Mark Twain National Forest’s website. Visitors are welcome to walk around and enjoy the site before and after the ribbon cutting.

The Prevention Consultants of Missouri and the Healthy Dent County Prevention Coalition are inviting everyone to a Youth Mental Health First Aid Training on June 21st at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road in Salem from 10:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon. This is great training for teachers, school staff, coaches, camp counselors, youth group leadres, parents and adults who work with the youth. The course teaches you how to identlfy and understand as well as respond to signs of mental health and substance abuse use challenges among childre and adolescents age 12 through 18. The training is free but you do have to register and complete a pre-class, online module. You will need to register for the program and registration ENDS TODAY! Contact Linda Kozlowski at 573-368-4755 or e-mail her for more information at linda@preventionconsultants.org. Lunch will be provided! This training is FREE!!

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a ‘live” Music Festival this Saturday at the Commons featuring the Crowe Boys from New Orleans with opening act, Devon Sutterfield from Salem and St. James. The gates will open at 6:00 and the live concert begins at 7:00. Sutterfield was featured recently on “The Voice” while the Crowe Boys have had success on the Internet with their single “Where Did I Go Wrong” and “The Simple Truth Hurts.” Tickets are available for $30 and are available at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and online at croweboys.com. There will be food trucks, a beer garden and more! To find out about the concert or tickets, contact the Salem Chamber of Commece at 573-729-6900.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to remind the public that driver examination stations throughout the state will be closed on Wednesday, June 19th, in observance of Juneteenth. Normal operations will resume on Thursday, June 20th.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. At the meeting, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2470, 5110 and 6250 while brush was going to be cut on county roads 5015 and 5070. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk indicated grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 2150, 2155 and 5240. He went on to say that county road 3260 was being prepped for chip and seal. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson reported he attended the MRPC meetings Thursday night starting with the Transportation Advisory committee meeting at 4:00 and ending with the MRPC regular meeting in St. James. He said the commission has spoken with Representative Ron Copeland and responded to Senate Bill 1359 dealing with the opening up of the local hospital districts to allow other larger medical facilities to provide services in those areas. Dent County Assistant Clerk Crystal Pilkington said the clerk’s office balanced with the treasurer on all accounts for the month of May. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk wants to remind anyone who still has delinquent Real Estate taxes from 2021 that you will need to pay them IN FULL by June 28th, during regular business hours from 8:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon. If you fail to do so, then on July 1st, the taxes for the tax years 2021, 2022 and 2023 will be declared due by Friday, August 23rd. If not paid by then, your parcel will be sold at the Delinquent Tax Sale that will be held on Monday, August 26th. Check payments are no longer accepted so you will need to pay with cash, cashier’s check or money order. If you are not sure this applies to you or you do not understand how the system works, you need to call the Dent County Collector’s office at (573) 729-3911 with any questions you may have or stop by the Dent County Courthouse. Starting July 1st there will be an additional $25.00 per parcel added to the tax bill to pay for the advertising costs in the Salem News. Remember, only the taxes for 2021 need to be paid IN FULL by Thursday, June 28th to give you another whole year to pay the other outstanding years. The commissioners also said the courthouse will be closed on Wednesday, June 19th for Juneteenth. The next commissioner meeting will be held Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthosue and the meeting is open to the public.

A Barn Quilt Class will be held Monday & Tuesday, June 17th & June 18th from 5:30 until 8:00 with Terrie Welch and Gale Huffman. In this two-day class, you will draw your own quilt block design on a sanded and primed 2’x2′ piece of plywood. You will then tape off areas to create sharp-edged lines, and paint it with chosen colors of house paint. When you finish, you will want to take and proudly display it on your barn or home! These are becoming quite popular and you can be the envy of your neighbors with this colorful display! The cost of the class is $55 with all supplies included. At least six people need to sign up to hold the class and it will be limited to 25. To register, go the SACBA website and find the Programs tab. Find the Creative Arts Center and click to register for the class. Registrations online are on a first come, first serve basis.

The Salem Utility Committee met Wednesday evening at the Salem Community Center at the Armory. A discussion on the ServLine Protection Program was held where this program is meant to provide an insurance type of financial protection against expensive utility bills that could occur due to water leaks at the option of the resident, but residents were “opted in” to the program by default. Each resident has to “opt out” in the first 30 days of the services. It was reported that 77 residents had already opted out of the program. For more information or to opt out, call the City of Salem’s dedicated ServLine phone number at 844-952-0741. Public Works Director Steve Paine reported the water crew recently repaired four water lines as well as two fire hydrants. These repairs are part of an ongoing effort to reduce the amount of overall city water loss that currently stands at 16%. Electric crews are changing out street lights and are checking out a safety hazard reported at the 4th Street Mall. City construction crews are working on numerous tasks including repairing city signage, and municipal concert work on curbs, driveways, and aprons. There was a brief discussion regarding the city’s current capacity of sludge from the treatment plant, which according to Paine is nearing 80% capacity. He urged that this level needs to be reduced soon. City of Salem Finance Director Stacey Houston presented a detailed overview of the city utility funds to the committee, which spurred discussions on different fiscal strategies. These discussions culminated in four motions being passed to be presented to the Board of Aldermen for their consideration. The first motion was made to keep the kWh rate the same for electric, eliminate the service availability fee, and pull prior year funds to balance the electric operation fund shortfall, as well as transfer some from prior year operation funds to the electric reserve fund to complete the reserve goal. The second motion was based on the Water fund balance in which a motion was made to transfer necessary funds from the water reserve fund to the water operating fund to balance the shortfall of the budget, and to transfer from the water reserve fund to the water reserve D&R fund to reach the reserve goal amount. The third motion was focused on the city’s sewer rates, proposing the sewer residential base rate be increased to $12 and the sewer usage rate be $9.85/1000 gallons. Finally, there was a motion to approve the budget as amended to account for the utility rate differences that were discussed during the meeting. All of the motions approved had no opposition from the attending committee members. These recommendations will now go before the Board of Aldermen for discussion. After some questions from the public, the meeting was adjourned.

The Dent County Fire Protection Board of Directors met Tuesday evening at the fire station. After the roll call and approval of the consent agenda, the minutes from the May meeting were approved as presented with the correction of one misspelled word. The financial report showed an ending balance of 196,301.72 as of May 31st. Bills, payments, and statements were then reviewed along with the budget and 2023-2024 budget comparison. The monthly reimbursement report showed a total of 15 calls for the month of May bringing the total year to date to 143. The department responded to five accidents during the month, two fires, two calls described as other, one public service call, one HazMat, one medical call, one agency assist, one alarm, and had one call that was canceled. In old business the board tabled the repair, sealing, and restriping of the parking lot while waiting for bids to come in. In new business, Chief Floyd asked the board to sell some of the district equipment that he feels is surplus and no longer needed. The board will look at a list of the items and decide at the July meeting. In his report to the board, Chief Floyd stated the he believes the district needs to put in for new radios for trucks and handheld units and that he would like to get more SCBA gear as the money becomes available. The Chief also brought information on grants through Fire House Grants. A discussion was held and several avenues will be investigated to determine the best possible route to take. He also reported that on June 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, firefighters would be going to school at Fenton Fire to be trained in firefighting techniques. The date was set for the July meeting to be held on Tuesday evening July 9th at 6:00 at the fire station. That meeting will be open to the public. The board then went into closed session to discuss personnel before and adjourning.

The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Community Forestry Council are accepting nominations for the 2024 Missouri Arbor Award of Excellence. The annual award recognizes communities, institutions, businesses, organizations and individuals that make significant and long-lasting efforts to care for trees in their communities.The Arbor Award of Excellence shines the spotlight on anyone who has improved trees in their community. Any significant program, project, or event that contributes to the care or maintenance of trees could qualify for an award. Winners receive a framed award, a full registration scholarship to the MCFC conference in August, an extra ticket to the award banquet during the conference, a community forestry reference book, and a $50 gift card. Nominations are due by Monday, July 15. For more information and nomination forms, visit mdc.mo.gov.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will hold a special meeting today at noon at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 Westy Rolla for the purpose of discussing a no interest loan from the Capital Improvement Fund to the Airport Fund to help pay for the T-Hangar project expenditures. The expected amount to be be borrowed will be $700,000 with $200,000 coming in th fiscal year 2024 and $500,000 from the fiscal year 2025 budget. The amount loaned by the Capital Improvement Fund will be paid back when the city receives the grant reimbursement from MoDOT that will go to the Airport Fund. The meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Community Garden will host a Growing Green Educational work shop tonight at 6:00 at the Salem Community Garden behind the Salem Methodist Church. The workshop will be on bees and pollinators. There is no cost to attend and you do not have to have a plot at the community garden to attend. You may want to bring a lawn chair with you to be more comfortable. For more information, call Charlie Grimm at 573-368-9902 or the Dent County Extension at 573-729-3196.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new and improved Red Bluff Campground on Mark Twain National Forest will take place at 11:00 Monday morning, June 17th, at the new pavilion near the campground host’s campsite. This grand opening celebration will highlight the new and modernized camping facilities at this beautiful site. To provide the public a chance to enjoy all this site has to offer, Forest Service officials have waived all fees for camping and day-use activities at Red Bluff for June 17th. Guided tours of the site and its improvements including new campsites, showers, a dump station, additional paved loops, as well as improved electric and water will be presented to visitors immediately following the ribbon cutting ceremony. In the past, flooding from storms repeatedly damaged campsites, roads, and facilities located in the floodplain at Red Bluff. A two-part project was undertaken, starting a few years ago, to remedy this situation. The recently completed Phase 1 of the project involved moving all overnight camping facilities to higher ground; and it incorporated modernized amenities such as more electric sites, a shower house, and a dump station for visitors with RVs. Phase 2 will focus more on the areas in the floodplain. The Great American Outdoors Act provided a large part of the funding for the work at the site. Continuing to utilize this and other funding sources to improve the recreation experience of visitors to national forests is very important to the Forest Service. Visitors are welcome to arrive earlier if they choose. Parking will be available by the old well house and by the Sitze Pavilion. The entrance to Red Bluff Recreation Area is located on Route V in Crawford County, about one mile east of Davisville. A map of Red Bluff is available on the Mark Twain National Forest’s website. Visitors are welcome to walk around and enjoy the site before and after the ribbon cutting. Red Bluff Recreation Area is a great place to fish, hike, or just admire the views. Large, red bluffs on the opposite side of Huzzah Creek, gravel bars along the creek, vistas from the upper loops, and verdant surrounding forests all provide a backdrop for a very relaxing experience. People like to float on and play in the Huzzah Creek during the heat of summer.

This Friday night from 6:00 until 8:00 at the Creative Arts center, “Paint with DAD, This or That?” with Danielle Norris. What a great way to spend some quality time with your dad! Kids, bring your dad and grandpas out for a fun night of painting together! You have the choice of two different pictures. The artist will take you step by step through the whole process! Register online at SACBA website. The cost is $20 for dads and $5 for kiddos attending with an adult. For kiddos attending separately, it’s $10. At least six people need to sign up with no more than 20 permitted.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting at the city hall auditorium Tuesday night. During public comments, a citizen addressed a question to alderwoman Catherine Dent as the chair of the utilities committee regarding opting out of the leak protection program. A form was developed by the Concerned Citizens for Salem to have a written form on record for those who opt out of the program. They wanted to know why the form was not accepted by the front desk at the city administration building. Alderwoman Dent deferred to the City Administrator and no answer could be given. The board approved allowing Electric Department Supervisor Josh Kotschedoff to stock up on spools of underground primary wire not to exceed $15,000. The board approved the bid from Salem Heating and Cooling to replace the HVAC System at the City Animal Pound for $7,850. A budget adjustment of $2,850 was approved as only $5,000 had been budgeted. The board approved the bid from Westport Pools for $138,986 to replace the PVC liner in the Salem Municipal Swimming Pool that was damaged by hail. Sally Burbridge made note that insurance adjusters were in town last week to assess all the damage done city wide by the hail. No details from the report are available yet, but it is very likely the $50,000 deductible will be spread across several budgets instead of just the Park and Recreation Department. The bids for the TAP Downtown Project were tabled. The board then approved Resolution #13-2024, stating the intent to seek funding through the Community Development Block Grant Program and authorizing the mayor to pursue activities in an attempt to secure funding to reduce the debt obligation for the Wastewater Treatment Facility; Resolution #14-2024, that authorized the mayor to sign an acknowledgment of renewal for health insurance from United Healthcare where the city will pay up to $550 per month for employees of the City of Salem, and Resolution No. 15-2024, a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign an agreement between the City of Salem and Westport Pools for labor and materials to remove and replace the PVC membrane for the city swimming pool. Once the work begins, it is estimated that it will take four weeks for Westport to complete the project. The “holiday trade” for city employees to trade the paid day off of Columbus Day for Friday, July 5th, was approved by the board. The Leak Protection Program Policy was on the agenda to be approved. After board discussion and the hearing of public comments, a motion was made to table the policy until the next meeting so the board could further review the contract. The board approved the purchase of 154 Water Meter Modules from Nexgrid for $20,754. During City Official Reports. several pain-points with Nexgrid were addressed including a broken website and failed communication efforts. A previous city employee offered to provide contact information from other vendors who have indicated the $20K the city is about to spend with Nexgrid would be better spent with a different vendor. The Alderman wondered if it is time to possibly consider legal action against Nexgrid. The board then went into closed session.

The 17th Annual Upper Current River Cleanup will be held this Saturday, June 15th. The locations for cleanup will be Montauk State Park to Baptist Access, Baptist Access to Cedargrove which is eight miles, Cedargrove to Akers which is eight miles, Akers to Pulltite which is 10 miles, and Pulltite to Round Spring which is ten miles. People can also cleanup a put-in/take out area. Registration will be from 8:00 until 10:00 in the morning at Montauk Lodge, Cedargrove, the Akers Lower Landing, or the Pulltte River Access point. This is where you will pick up your mesh trash bags and T-Shirt. For more information about the river cleanup, e-mail contact Jack or Mary Ficker of Stream Team 1028 at jack_maryficker@hotmail.com or call them at 573-729-7065. You can also call the Montauk Park Naturalist office at 573-548-2225 for information on the stream cleanup at Montauk.

The Salem Utility Committee meeting will be held tonight at 6:15 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road. At the meeting, the committee will discuss the Serviline Protection Program and hear work reports performed by city employees. A draft budget will be presented and there will be a rate discussion nefore the meeting is adjourn. The meeting was called by Utility Chairman Alderwoman Catherine Dent.

Lt. Levi Hamilton, a native of Rolla, Missouri, is serving in the U.S. Navy assigned to Training Squadron 21 where naval aviators learn the skills they need to fly missions around the world. Hamilton, a 2005 graduate of Rolla High School, joined the Navy 10 years ago. Hamilton also earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Missouri in 2010. Today, Hamilton serves as an instructor pilot assigned to VT 21, a U.S. Navy strike jet training squadron located at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas.

This Friday from 2:00 until 4:00 at the Creative Arts Center, participants can learn to Tie Dye with Laura Miller. Students will learn to fold and tie a shirt, apply dye for desired pattern then take home to rinse the next day. Students will choose a pattern to tie, choose a color palette of dye, and have a hands-on experience of creating their own unique wearable art piece. The glass is available to students age 10 to 18 years old and they must be with a parent/legal guardian. Register online at SACBA website and when checking out, please choose a shirt size. The cost is $25 per person and includes all materials and instruction. There must be at least three students to hold the class and it will be limited to no more than 12.

On Thursday, June 13th at Echo Bluff State Park as part of the Women Outdoors program, women can attend “Dutch Oven Cooking: Not Just for Chili”. This class will teach women how to use and maintain a Dutch oven, and then eat some food prepared in a Dutch oven! Meet at the Bluff Top Pavilion at Echo Bluff State Park. The class is free and open to all women 16 and older, but registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Connie at 573-751-1224 or connie.weber@dnr.mo.gov.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. At the meeting, the commissioners discussed a road issue before giving road reports. District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 6090 while only grading would be done on county roads 5170 and 5510. He said brush would be cut on county road 5015 and a man would be picking up a truck from Springfield that has been repaired. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk reported rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 2200 while only grading would be done on county roads 2190 and 2370. He said brush would be cut on county roads 2250 and 2260 and a man would be going to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal repair as well as taking a man from District 1 to bring the repaired truck back. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he attended the Meramec Community Enhancement Corporation board meeting last week in St. James where they discussed the MRPC lease and went over some grants including one for the SMTS busses. He also said he was elected as Vice-Chairman of the MCEC. At 10:00, Randy Beech, who is the Vice President of Special Projects at Royal Oak Enterprises, LLC, and Tim Jones, the plant manager at the Royal Oak plant in Salem, met with the commission on the problems of semi-trucks using and damaging county roads going to and from Royal Oak. Beech discussed Royal Oak wanting to address the problem with a two-pronged approach: the first way was addressing the issue through their bills of lading, and the second was to post signs at the Royal Oak plant in Salem to strategically instruct the drivers once arriving at the plant, be it the warehouse or scales. These signs will use the international symbols and will be installed soon. The county is also planning to install their own signs on the county right-of-way on the county roads to deter the truck traffic. Commissioner Larson said the commission is not against Royal Oak Charcoal being in Dent County and were excited about their expansion, but wanted to find a mutual solution to the trucking issues after the group of citizens made their appearance at the commission meeting. Beech asked if the commission had an ordinance prohibiting truck traffic in place so that violations could be enforced. He was told not yet as the county is waiting to install the signs first, but they have a sample ordinance ready to adopt. The commission did want to take another tour of the plant now that the expansion is complete and Jones said that would not be a problem to just call and set up a time. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting will be open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports. On Friday, May 31st, deputies responded to the 4500 block of Dent County Road 2050 for the report of a burglary. During the investigation, it was determined that items were stolen from the residence. Suspect information was developed and the investigation is ongoing. The next day, June 1st, deputies responded to the 100 block of Dent County Road 5120 for the report of a wanted subject. During the course of the investigation, a 20-year-old Salem woman was arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail. Additional charges for the possession of a controlled substance will be applied for. On Friday, June 7th, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 900 block of South Main Street. The driver, a 28-year-old Viburnum man, was arrested for driving on a suspended driving privilege. He was arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail. If you have any information regarding and investigation please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

To help Missourians prepare for summer weather, the state will observe “Summer Safety Day” this Wednesday. SEMA and the National Weather Service (NWS) encourage all persons to pay attention to local forecasts and plan accordingly when activities are outside. Humidity can amplify the feeling of heat measured by a heat index, so it is especially important to keep a close eye on friends and family and know the signs of heat-related illnesses. Remember, never leave a child or pet alone in a vehicle. Even on a cooler day, the temperature inside a vehicle can rise by 20 degrees in 10 minutes and pose a real threat to anyone left inside. Always “look before you lock” and check the back seat each time you exit your vehicle. Remember these safety measures to protect yourself and your family during the summer heat. If the weather forecast calls for heat and humidity, limit outdoor exposure. Also drink plenty of water and limit intake of alcoholic beverages. People should eat light, well-balanced meals at regular intervals and wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothes that cover as much skin as possible. If in the sun, wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face and head; and use at least SPF 30 sunscreen. If possible, avoid strenuous work during the warmest part of the day. If you do not have air conditioning, consider spending the warmest part of the day in public buildings such as libraries, schools, movie theaters, shopping malls or other community facilities. Find out before the heat arrives about nearby cooling centers. Check on family, friends and neighbors who may not have air conditioning or spend much of their time alone. Also, people need to be aware of medications that may impair the body’s response to heat, including antihistamines, tranquilizers and some medications for heart disease. Don’t forget you pets! If left outside, make sure your pet has plenty of fresh water and access to shade.

The University of Missouri Extension in Shannon County will be holding “Backyard Chickens 101” Thursday from 5:30 until 7:00. The course will be held at the Shannon County Extension Meeting Room in the Shannon County Extension in Eminence. This in-person course will teach you how much fun it is to raise chickens in your backyard! The topics include getting started, breeds, nutrition, housing, local regulations, the basics on marketing eggs, and more. There is no cost to attend. Those who want to attend need to register by calling the Shannon County Extension Office at 226-3268 or register at extension.missouri.edu/events. For more information, call Eric Meusch at 573-729-3196.

A fatality accident happened Friday evening just after 6:00 in Crawford County on Highway 8 at Indian Springs Road. According to the highway patrol report, a 2007 Dodge 1500 being driven by 30-year-old Cody Carey of Steelville, was traveling westbound in the eastbound lane and struck head-on a 2019 Ford F-150 being driven eastbound by 37-year-old Joshua Morgan of Steelville. Morgan was pronounced dead at 7:14 by Dr. McCarthy at the Missouri Baptist hospital. A passenger in the Morgan vehicle, 40-year-old Leah Morgan of Steelville, suffered serious injuries and was taken by helicopter to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. Carey suffered minor injuries and was taken by the North Crawford County ambulance to the Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan. Both vehicles were totaled and removed from the scene by Miles and Sons Towing. All involved in the accident were wearing seat restraints. Carey was arrested by the highway patrol for DWI-causing the death of another, DWI-causing serious injury, failure to drive on the right half of the roadway, careless and imprudent driving causing an accident, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, and failure to properly affix a license plate. He was taken to the Crawford County Jail for an initial 24-hour hold.

The City of Salem’s Finance and Capital Improvements Committee will hold a meeting Monday evening at 5:30 at the Salem Community Center@the Armory. After the call to order will be the review of the proposed fiscal year 2024-25 Capital Improvement Plan and recommendation, to be followed by the fiscal year budget review and recommendation, which will be followed by adjournment. The meeting was called by Alderman Shawn Bolerjack, Chairman of the Finance Committee.

At the Dent County Commissioner meeting on Thursday, the commissioners heard from Jeff and Austin with Great Rivers Engineering on FLAP Project #077 which is for the paving and road improvements to be made to Dent County Road 6670 which is the back way into Montauk State Park. The cost of the project will be $725,000 which will widen the road, improve curves, stabilize slopes along the Current River and asphalt the road within the right-of-way. The county could do some of the work which would reduce the cost, but this project is 100% grant with no match, so the entire project will be bid out. The engineers then talked about the FLAP/TAP sidewalk project for the courthouse square. This is an 80/20 match grant. The survey has been finished and the project will include replacing the current sidewalks and the improving ADA access with sidewalks being moved to street level where possible, and installing a block retaining wall where the outside sidewalks still have to be elevated. They will eliminate the three angled sidewalks that don’t go to the entrance doors of the courthouse and replace them with wider sidewalks to the exterior doors. The projected budget is $491,603.75, the TAP portion would be $393,283 and the county’s portion would be $98,320.50. Great Rivers Engineering will be advertising bids this October with the bid opening this November with the construction expected to begin in October of 2025. Brandi Richardson and members of the Dent County University Extension Council came in to update the commission on recent programs. Richardson reported the extension office is short-handed and the University of Missouri has a freeze on hiring. The county has been impacted by the university’s youth program associate guidelines but is still well served with specialists. They wanted to let the commission know the 4-H and FFA Expo will be held July 18th through the 20th at The Commons. Richardson also said she would be attending an infrastructure meeting that will include a discussion on broadband in September and would like to have community leaders including the commissioners attend. She discussed the need for the Internet as she would like to see the Extension have a computer available to the public for those who could use it for telehealth services. She also discussed the university’s BioChar Climate-Smart Fieldscapes project program and a possible program with that in the future. Richardson also said the extension council would provide a monthly report from now on to the commission. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Dent County Fire Protection District board of directors will be meeting Tuesday evening at 6:00 at the fire station at #2 South Main Street. After the roll call and approval of the consent agenda the board will review the minutes of the May meeting then review the financial report before approving bills and reviewing the budget. Following the monthly reimbursement report the board will deal with old business including the repair and sealing of the parking lot at the station. The board will then hear any new business before Chief Floyd gives his report. The board will then set the date for the July meeting before going into closed session if needed before adjourning. The meeting Tuesday evening is open to the public.

The Salem Public Library will host a sidewalk chalk competition! This program will take place outside, on the north side of the library on 5th Street on Tuesday, June 11th from 10:30 in the morning until 12:30 in the afternoon. Children are not required to attend the full length of time allotted to the program. There will be four categories: Elementary: K – 1st Grade, Juvenile: 2nd Grade – 4th Grade, Tweens: 5th – 8th Grade, Teens: 9th – 12th Grade. Winners will be announced by 1:30 that afternoon. The four winners will receive a small prize. No library card is necessary to participate. This program is intended for children from K -12th Grade.

On Friday, June 14th, Montauk State Park will pay tribute to Flag Day held in honor of the “birthday” or the adoption of the Stars and Stripes on June 14th, 1777. Numerous American flags will be on display throughout the park on cabins, the lodge, shelters, bridges and more. Drive by or walk through and see “Old Glory” flying throughout Montauk State Park.

The Annual Chamber Expo will be this Saturday from 9:00 to 11:00 in the monring at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce office at 1136 S. Main in the Crososroads. As of this morning, it seems there may be some unfavorable rain and storms affecting the area Saturday Morning. All participants will be notified later today as will the general public if the event will be moving inside the Salem Community Center at the Armory’s Event Room. Rain or shine, the Expo will be held. There will be live music & food!

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the Dent County courthouse for their regular meeting. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson was not in attendance due to prior commitments so Commissioner Wes Mobray was appointed temporary Presiding Commissioner. In the road report, Mobray gave his reports for District 1 and said rock would be added and grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5460 and 6350 while only grading would be done on county road 5170. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk reported rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2570 and 4380 while only grading would be done on county road 4370. Polk indicated brush would be cut on county roads 5280 and 5300. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said her office balanced with the assessor and collector on all collections, add-ons and abatements for the month of May, and that absentee voting for the August Primary will begin June 25th. She also said that county liquor licenses will need to be renewed by June 30th for those business that sell liquor. Lancer Blair was in attendance and said there will be a “Meet the Candidate” night in Cuba on June 18th at 6:00 at the Cuba Middle School Gym sponsored by Farm Bureau. District Casework Manager Jenni Reigel from Jason Smith’s office was in attendance as was State Representative Ron Copeland. He was there toupdate the commission on any legislative action that took place. Denver Ellis asked about Senate Joint Resolution 71 that provides for the levying of certain costs and fees to support the salaries and benefits of sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys, and circuit attorneys. Copeland explained that when you get a traffic violation, you are assessed a fine as well as court costs. A lot of the court costs went to the retirement funds of sheriffs and prosecutors which the Missouri Supreme Court ruled illegal and discontinued those fees. He said the resolution will be voted on by the people in the November election to allow those fees to be added to the costs of the court. Copeland said he has received a number of calls about the National Park Service closing access to the river, but said much of that comes from the 2015 plan. He said the Park Service doesn’t do everything in their plan at once, instead takes small bites out of it to still get what they want, but over a longer period of time. If someone would like a copy of that 2015 plan, they can e-mail Copeland and request a copy: Ron.Copeland@house.mo.gov. Copeland said he was glad the county will be moving forward with Senate Bill 190 dealing with personal property tax values for seniors as they take a poll for community feedback, and he was also pleased the county and Royal Oak Charcoal are trying to resolve the road problem together. He said Royal Oak called him and felt they were being blamed for the road situation. They are actually helping the local timber industry as well as increasing the tax base of the county. In the discussion with Copeland, both Commissioners Mobray and Polk said the county has been frustrated by MoDOT about putting up signs and not repairing road accesses. Copeland said he will get with MoDOT on this and see the response he gets back. He did say the only way to have police enforce any weight limit signs, speed limit or other restrictive signs is to havean ordinance in place supporting the restriction. Clerk Curley said theprosecuting attorney has prepared an ordinance and the commission is currently reviewing it. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday morning and the meeting will be open to the public.

This Saturday night at 8:00 at Echo Bluff State Park, you can hear a free concert from Blake Gardner and The Farmers as they break free from being able to be defined by a single genre by mixing together elements of blues, reggae, hip-hop, funk and nearly everything else under the sun. Bring a blanket or chair to the outdoor amphitheater and enjoy a FREE concert under the stars. For more information, call Echo Bluff State Park at 573-751-1224.

A special waste collection for residential electronics, appliances, tires and media storage will be held this Saturday from 8:00 until noon at Brewer Science located at 2401 Brewer Drive in Rolla. Brewer Science, the City of Rolla and Meramec Regional Planning Commission, with funding through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District, are partnering on the June 8th collection. The collection is for residential items only – no materials from businesses will be accepted and is open to residents from Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. For more information on items accepted or the fee structure, please contact Kathryn Hawes at MRPC at 573-265-2993 Ext. 110.