Local News

The Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting at the Salem Community Center @The Armory on Tuesday evening. The board heard public comments from five citizens regarding the proposed housing project by the Salem Housing Authority and three citizens regarding their support of the lease between the City and Healthy Dent County for the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. The board approved the resignation of Interim Public Works Director Joe Chase. Assistant City Clerk Wanda Suhr gave the oath of office to new Public Works Director Steven Paine. The board heard from Lyndell Decker who requested and received approval to close parts of Fourth, Iron and Fifth Streets for a Back to School Bash on August 17th. The board heard a presentation from Salem Housing Authority Board member Sherman Odom regarding the proposed housing development on Tenth Street. Odom explained that the Housing Authority would like to seek grant funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank in the amount of $3 million to build 24 low-income housing units on 3.2 acres of the 4 acre parcel. A letter of commitment to donate the land only if the grant is awarded is needed from the City to include in the grant application. After his presentation, the neighbors in attendance had the opportunity to ask questions. No action was taken by the board. Brandi Richardson with the Dent County Extension presented their Annual Report and thanked the City for supporting their programs. The board approved the Salem Housing Authority’s recommendation to add Michael Rushing to their board, replacing Rose Kinerk’s expired term. Stacy Houston presented financial reports, including the total sales tax revenues, utility usage and revenues, and a fund balance summary. The board approved Bill No. 3607 allowing the city to receive additional Transportation Enhancement Funds for the TAP grant project. The City’s previous total match was $198,700, this agreement decreases the City’s match to $171,600. The City solicited a Request for Terms for a Tax-Exempt, bank-qualified fixed rate bond in the amount of $400,000 to help pay for the Phase 2a and 2b Sewer upgrades. The board approved moving forward with short-term financing from Town and Country Bank to purchase the City’s Revenue bonds. The board approved the bid from Donald Maggi Inc in the amount of $496,692.04 to complete the downtown TAP grant project. The board approved Bill No. 3605 amending the Codes of the City of Salem to allow for e-mail and electronic delivery of utility bills. The board approved Bill No. 3606, amendments to the current agreement with Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission. The board approved Bill No. 3601, allowing the property at 306 E. Second Street to be available for sale. The board approved Bill No. 3602 a lease agreement with Council for a Healthy Dent County for the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. The board then went into closed session.

The Doe Run Company’s Maroon mine rescue team was awarded two first place awards and two third-place awards at the 2024 Tennessee Southeast Regional mine rescue contest in Sevierville, TN. The team competed against 26 coal and metal/non-metal mine rescue teams to earn first place in Team Tech and Team Trainer competitions. The Maroon team also took home 3rd place in the two-day mine rescue field problem competition and were awarded third place overall in the grand champion category which includes results for field, tech and first aid, combined. The competition consisted of two days of separate Mine Rescue Field problems including: simulating underground emergency situations, a first aid competition with a CPR and first-responder scenario, a breathing apparatus Benchman contest, and a team technician competition to test technical troubleshooting of mine rescue equipment and calculate ventilation readings. Each event also included a written test to assess the team’s knowledge. The U.S.Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) judged the event. Doe Run’s mine rescue teams train on a voluntary basis and compete in mine rescue competitions annually. The Doe Run Maroon Team is comprised of Luke Davis (Benchman) and Brandon “Buck” Roderman (first-aid), Andrew Hampton (Team Captain and Team Tech), Michael Snyder (first-aid), Jarred Tackett (first-aid), Richie Brewer, Ethan Kerr, Jake Piatt (Team Tech), and Steve Setzer (Team Trainer). The teams consistently place near or at the top at regional and national mine rescue competitions. Doe Run’s focus on safety is evident beyond mine rescue. Several sites have gone years without a lost-time accident, including Sweetwater Mill reaching 26 consecutive years with no lost-time accidents; Brushy Creek Mill with 17 years; and Buick Mill with 12 years. In addition, the Sweetwater Mine surface team has reached 19 years with no lost-time accidents.

The Salem FFA Chapter was named the Gahr Truck and Equipment New Holland Blue Ribbon FFA Chapter during National FFA Week. The chapter competed with 10 area schools. Points were accumulated by Salem winning the essay contest, posting over 50 supervised agriculture experience pictures, and taking over 60 FFA members to tour Gahr Truck and Equipment in St. James. Gahr Truck and Equipment presented the Salem FFA with a $1000 check, as well as a Gahr Truck and Equipment 2024 New Holland Blue Ribbon FFA Chapter plaque and a large framed poster of the history of New Holland. Congratulations Salem FFA Chapter!!!

The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees held their regular meeting last Thursday, March 21st. Administrator Zach Moser presented the Service and Statistics report. In the Communicable Disease Report, he stated that there were 16 COVID-19 cases reported, 34 lead cases, 21 screenings for sexually transmitted infections, 37 cases of Influenza and 2 animal bites. The environmental report by Assistant Administrator Roma Jones showed there were 11 total inspections conducted, she had 4 sewer complaints and 10 environmental questions were fielded. A town hall meeting and informational session is being planned to provide information and answer questions about the new Consumer Food Safety Regulation. The Maternal-Child Health (MCH) statistics showed there was one CPR Course, two consultation for Childcare Health, one Show-Me Healthy Women appointment, 27 Title X appointments, five Presumptive Eligibilities (Temporary Medicaid) and 320 WIC appointments. The Community-Specific Services Summary showed 483 total appointments other than WIC, 169 Nurse Practitioner appointments, 85 treatment court visits, 200 lab appointments and 29 immunization appointments. Nurse Practitioner Service Details showed no Show-Me Health Women appointments, 3 family plannings, 75 well-child visits, 9 online appointments, 6 other physicals, 23 SEMO physicals, 9 other visits, and 114 acute illness appointments. Laboratory details showed 219 individual patients, 19 appointments for Rapid Test for COVID, Flu, RSV or Strep, two pregnancy tests and two lead tests. Immunizations for February totaled seven for COVID-19, two for Influenza, and 76 other vaccines, including the new RSV vaccine and new formulations of pneumonia vaccine. In the Administrator’s report, Moser reported that DHSS paid two months of WIC reimbursement in February. He said that an “Extension of Adult Immunization” grant through DHSS and a NACCHO grant was awarded in the amount of $109,000 so an immunization RN position was posted. Moser said that due to a new program as the state level, DCHC will soon begin offering free Hepatitis B and C testing. The Health Center financial reports for February, including the overall results from H & R Block, were reviewed. Discussion was held on the balance sheet, income statement, and budget statements. After these questions were answered, the financial reports and the report from H & R Block were approved. In new business, quotes for a Respiratory Testing Analyzer were presented from GeneXpert and Biofire Spotfire. The Board approved the Biofire Spotfire bid for $34,482.76. A quote from McKesson for a Binx IO analyzer for Chlamydia/Gonorrhea Rapid Testing for $11,500.00 was approved by the Board. Two quotes were considered for counter top autoclave devices and the Board approved the purchase of the automatic door autoclave for $8,039.56. Moser presented the personnel manual which was being revised as part of the strategic plan and previously discussed needs. The changes were discussed line by line and were approved by the Board. He presented the 2023 Annual Report and it was approved by the Board. Moser requested permission to dispose of some assets which were non-inventory assets including a Xerox copier, medical freezer and some chairs. The Board approved disposal of the assets. No closed session was held. The next regular meeting of the Board was set for Thursday, April 18th at 5:00.

An accident happened Monday afternoon just past 2:45 in Franklin County on westbound Interstate 44 at the 242 mile-marker. According to the highway patrol report, a 2007 Lexus RX 350 being driven by 63-year-old Amanda Irwin of Salem, was stopped in the left hand lane due to an accident that had occurred ahead. At that time, a 2024 Kenworth T680 being driven by 51-year-old Clifford Day of West Plains, was unable to stop his rig and struck the rear of the Lexus. Irwin suffered minor injuries and was taken by Meramec Ambulance District to Mercy Hospital in Washington. Both drivers were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident. The Kenworth sustained moderate damage and was towed from the scene by personal conveyance. The Lexus had minor damage but was able to be driven from the scene.

The Missouri Public Service Commission has adopted recommendations made by the Public Service Commission Staff which reduces the current surcharge that appears on the monthly telephone bills of Missourians to fund Relay Missouri. The surcharge will drop from $0.10 a month per telephone line to $0.06 a month per telephone line. The surcharge is used to fund a statewide dual-party telephone relay service for qualifying Missourians who are unable to use traditional telecommunications equipment. Relay Missouri is funded through a monthly, per telephone line surcharge. Missouri statutes require the Commission to review the surcharge no less frequently than every two years. It also requires the Commission to order changes in the amount of the surcharge as necessary to assure available funds for the programs supported by that fund. After reviewing the PSC Staff pleadings and comments from the Office of the Public Counsel, the Commission adopted the PSC Staff’s recommendations. The Missouri General Assembly established Relay Missouri in 1990. The surcharge level is periodically reviewed by the Commission according to the requirements established by Missouri statutes.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Lancer Blair was in attendance and told the commission he plans to run for State Representative of the 120th District that serves Dent and Crawford counties. Blair has been attending quite a few commissioner meetings the last several months and feels he has been educated on a lot of the needs counties have that he would like to bring to the attention of the legislature. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said his crew would be out checking roads from the winds and rains and performing shop maintenance. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said maintenance was being done on county truck #120 and road signs were being installed on county road 2210. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said Mike’s Generator would be in town today to check on the emergency backup generator at the Oak Grove Baptist Church. The generator is tested once a month to make sure the transfer switch is working properly, but Mike’s Generator will check the fuel mixture, change oil if needed, and test other aspects of the generator for proper operation. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said today is the last day to register to run for a county office for the August 6th primary for anyone interested, and they will have until 5:00 this afternoon in her office to do so. She also said “No-Excuse” absentee voting will continue until Monday, April 1st in her office including this Saturday in her office from 8:00 in the morning until 12:00 noon. She also said the courthouse would be closed for Good Friday this Friday. Dent County Assessor Jamie Homeyer wanted to make sure the public knew that there have been NO re-assessments in Dent County since 2019 unless someone has made additions or improvements to their property, or removed a structure from their property. She said on the interview program Friday morning on KSMO, she felt the discussion on Senate Bill 190 and assessments about other counties and even other states may have been confusing to listeners where they may have thought re-assessments were happening locally in Dent County, but that is not the case. At 10:00, the commission opened bids for a used truck for the Road and Bridge Department and received only one bid from Sapaugh Classic Joyride. The truck bid they received was for a 2015 Ford F-250 Superduty XL Crewcab 4×4 featuring a 6.2 litre gas engine with 162,000 miles on it for $16,000. A decision will be made on Thursday on the vehicle. The commission also approved purchasing a 2024 John Deere 310P Backhoe from McCoy Forestry and Construction for $127,703.78 which is the state bid. The commission approved seeking bank bids on the backhoe from local banks on a lease/purchase agreement for three years with no pre-payment penalty. The bids from the banks will be due by 10:00 Thursday morning, April 18th at the county clerk’s office. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and it is open to the public.

The City of Salem Administrative Office has announced that City Clerk Tammy Koller will be out of the office until May 6th. As a result, this will result in reduced hours for the city clerks office. This will have an impact on getting Business Licenses, UTV permits and Cemetery business. During that time, records requests may be submitted to Assistant Clerk, Wanda Suhr. The Assistant City Clerk office hours will Monday, Tuesday and Friday, from 8:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon. For more information or any questions, please call 573-729-5211 or you can send an email to administration@salemmo.com. The City of Salem thanks you for your understanding.

Have you got your tickets for the Healthy Dent County fun community event called the “Non-Newlywed Game” Show on April 12th? Tickets and tables are going fast!! This will be the 6th year Healthy Dent County has held this fundraiser where it’s “couple vs. couple” in this hilarious version of the classic game show. You will discover just how much our couples know (or don’t know!) about their spouse! The four local married couples who volunteered to play the game are: Tom and Traci Wulff, Matt and Rachel Moncrief, Jon and Danella Roos and Luke and Hannah Heithold. VIP sponsored tables can still be reserved with a $300 donation. The VI PTables includes reserved seating for eight people as well as numerous table refreshments. A concession stand and cash bar will be open during the evening. A limited number of individual tickets will be sold for $25 per ticket. The individual tickets will not have reserved seating. This fundraising event will be held Friday, April 12th at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory beginning at 6:30 PM. Get your tickets by calling 729-8163 or stopping by the Salem Community Center @ the Armory at 1200 W. Rolla Road in Salem.

This Saturday at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center on Highway 19 at the exhibit called “Crossroads: Change in Rural America,” historian Harold Hamilton will present a discussion on “Who Lives in Salem? A Look Back and a Look Ahead.” This discussion will begin at 10:00 followed by Antiques “Road-Show and Tell” where the public is encouraged to bring in a family artifact and share memories. The exhibit is open Monday through Saturday and there is no charge to visit the exhibit. The “Crossroads” exhibit is part of the “Museum on Main Street,” a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils nationwide. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.

An accident occurred Sunday morning around 2:40 in Texas County on Route N about seven miles northwest of Licking. According to the highway patrol report, a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic driven by 23-year-old Brett Lewis of Licking, was traveling northbound at a high rate of speed, ran off the roadway, and struck a fence and a tree. Lewis suffered minor injuries and his passenger, 22-year-old Shakirah Williams of Licking. suffered serious injuries. They were both transported to the Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston by the Texas County Memorial Ambulance. The report goes on to say that neither injured party was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Chevrolet was totaled and removed from the scene by Jay’s Wrecker in Houston.

An accident occurred Friday evening around 9:30 in Dent County on Highway 19 about six miles south of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer driven by a 16-year-old male juvenile from Salem, was traveling southbound and fell asleep at the wheel. The Chevrolet traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. The juvenile suffered minor injuries and was transported by a private vehicle to seek medical treatment. The Chevrolet was totaled and was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen in closed session on Tuesday, March 19th, approved the mayoral appointment of Steve Paine as the new Public Works Director for the City of Salem. The vote was 4-0.

The Salem Police Department has released their report for the month of February. The department responded to 11 accidents during the month. Officers also responded to threealarms sounding and addressed 19 animal calls. Officers investigated five assaults or fights, five burglaries, performed 10 well being checks and nine area checks during the month. The department investigated 14 domestic disputes, seven verbal disturbances, conducted 42 follow-up investigations and provided 19 escorts. They investigated a nuisance violation, four reports of fraud, took a missing persons report, and offered assistance to two motorists. The Salem Police wrote a property damage report during February, plus made ten stealing reports and responded to nine traffic complaints. Officers investigated two sex offense charges, 14 suspicious circumstance calls, 11 suspicious person calls and four suspicious vehicle calls. Officers responded to a trespassing call and attempted to serve 13 warrants in February. Officers conducted 48 traffic stops during the month. The police responded to a total of 403 incidents in February with the average response time to calls being one minute and 37 seconds. The average time spent on the scene was 20 minutes and 34 seconds.

The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) thank the thousands of Missouri deer hunters who donated 247,575 pounds of venison to the state’s Share the Harvest program this past deer season, including 5,394 whole deer. MDC and CFM also thank the participating meat processors throughout the state who grind the donated deer meat into ready-to-use packages, and the many sponsors who financially support the program. The donated deer meat goes to local food banks and food pantries to help feed hungry Missourians all around the state. Meat-processing fees are covered entirely or in part by numerous local sponsors, along with statewide sponsors that include Shelter Insurance, Bass Pro Shops, Feeding Missouri, and MDC. Share the Harvest is coordinated by MDC and CFM and has been helping feed hungry Missourians for more than 30 years. Since the program was started in 1992, it has provided about 5 million pounds of lean, healthy venison to help feed hungry Missourians. To get Share the Harvest venison, contact local food banks or food pantries. The donated venison stays in the local areas where the deer were harvested so it truly is helping out neighbors in need. The National Institutes of Health state that children need protein in their diets for proper growth and development, and adults need it to maintain good health. Yet many Missourians can’t afford or can’t get to good sources of protein. Through Share the Harvest, Missouri hunters can help provide those in need with high-quality protein in the form of naturally lean, locally harvested deer meat.

Coming to the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center on Highway 19 starting Saturday, March 23rd and lasting through May the 5th, is the exhibit called “Crossroads: Change in Rural America.” This exhibit offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred. Despite the massive economic and demographic impacts brought on by these changes, America’s small towns continue to creatively focus on new opportunities for growth and development. Economic innovation and a focus on the cultural facets that make small towns unique, comfortable, and desirable have helped many communities create their own renaissance. The future is bright for much of rural America as small towns embrace the notion that their citizens and their cultural uniqueness are important assets. The “Crossroads” exhibit is part of the “Museum on Main Street,” a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils nationwide. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.

An accident happened Wednesday evening just before 8:30 in Reynolds County on Reynolds County Road 906. According to the highway patrol report, a 2000 Ford tractor being operated by 48-year-old James Dorris of Bunker, was traveling uphill on private property when a mechanical failure happened causing the tractor to overturn. A passenger on the tractor, 50-year-old Shelly Hodge of Viburnum, suffered serious injuries and was taken by Phelps Air to the Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. The tractor had minor damage and was left at the residence at the owners request.

An accident happened Wednesday afternoon just before 3:20 in Crawford County on Interstate 44 westbound at the 215.6 mile-marker. According to the highway patrol report, a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado being driven by 50- year-old Jennifer Stevens of Steelville, had a tire blowout causing the Silverado to travel off the right side of the roadway and overturn. Stevens, along with two passengers in the vehicle from Steelville, 18-year-old Amber Dodson and 18-year-old Tiffany Stevens, suffered minor injuries. Jennifer Stevens and Dodson were taken by Missouri Baptist EMS to the Missouri Baptist Hospital. Tiffany Stevens was transported by North Crawford EMS to St. Louis. The Silverado was totaled and removed from the scene by Patriot’s Towing. The report went on to state that neither the driver or the two passengers were wearing seat restraints.

A one vehicle accident happened Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 in Reynolds County on Reynolds County Road 752 just west of Route Y. The highway patrol report states that a 1995 Ford Ranger being driven by 28-year-old Zachery Prater of Viburnum, was traveling east bound when he lost control of the Ford, then overcorrected and ran off the right side of the roadway and overturned. A passenger in the vehicle, 22-year-old Alexis Setzer of Davisville, suffered serious injuries and was taken by Reynolds County EMS to Ellington where she was then transported to a St. Louis hospital by Lifenet 24. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Aissie Towing. Neither Prater or Setzer were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5600 and 6080, and a truck was going to be taken to Columbia for maintenance. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk stated grading would be done on county roads 2090, 3160 and 4330 while brush would be cut on county road road 4020. A truck from his district was being taken to Springfield to have maintenance performedon it. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson reported he attended an MRPC meeting last Thursday and on Tuesday, he attended a Solid Waste Management District meeting in St. James. Larson along with Treasurer Denita Williams and Deputy Rick Letchworth attended an opioid fund meeting at the MRPC offices. Treasurer Williams gave the report on the CART tax money received in March which came to $70,787.89 and the county is up .76% for the year. It was reported the courthouse will be closed on Good Friday which is March 29th. Brian Williams from McCoy Forestry and Construction visited with the commission about a backhoe. William Terry from the National Park Service called the commission and told them the plan was still to place the boulders at TanVat. He also said work was going to be done on the parking lot and the parks service was going to put in a circle drive. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday at 9:00 and the meeting will be open to the public.

The Salem Memorial Hospital regular board meeting was held Tuesday evening in the hospital library. In the Administrator’s Report, Interim CEO Jason Edwards reported that Amber Hogan has been hired as the new Emergency Medical Service Director, and Chantel Garrison has been hired as the TorRCH program manager. Lisa Delany will be retiring at the end of March and Misty Atchley has been hired to replace her. The board received the official 2023 audit report from FORVIS. Edwards said a “meet and greet” for the Delta Project is tentatively set for April 23rd and the 9th annual Hospital Foundation Golf Tournament will be held June 9th. In the summary of operations for February, Chief Financial Officer Doug Hoban reported the hospital had a loss from operations of $290,358 with an excess of expenses over revenues of $160,298. The hospital showed an increase in cash of $21,120 which is the third straight month that cash on hand has increased. Hoban reported hospital admissions in February were 86 which included eight Swingbed and 30 observation admissions with a total of 301 patient census days. In February, there were 1,366 Outpatient Registrations, 2,017 Cardiopulmonary Procedures, 6,222 Lab Tests, 1,195 Radiology Procedures, 628 Rehabilitation Treatments and 39 Surgical Procedures. There were 607 Emergency Room visits with 65 patients being admitted. A total of 188 ambulance runs were made with 134 patients being transported. Hoban said days cash on hand at the end of February was 23. The clinic showed a net loss of $23,884 for the month, but has showed a $77,389 profit for the fiscal year The 340B plan showed revenues over expenses of $47,007 and the hospital converted three CDs worth $400,000 with an interest rate of .07% to 5.05% for nine months. Chief Nursing Officer Ashley Owen said there still is a need for five full time night time nurses. She said the hospital was represented at the ECC Rolla Career Fair for RN, LPN, Radiology Techs and Surgery Tech students. The hospital is also in the early stages of planning and implementing the Annual Nursing Skills Lab. In Human Resources, the hospital hired three new people in February and six employees left. In the Chief of Staff’s report, the doctors approved the Medical Staff Bylaws with no changes before they approved updated Critical Lab values. Administrator Edwards said the state funding the hospital expected to receive has been delayed again, this time by a Department of Health glitch. They have contacted Representative Copeland for his assistance in getting the matter straightened out. A tentative strategic planning update has been scheduled for May 10th with department leaders, med staff, administration and board members. The board approved the bid from Commercial Bus and Vehicle, LLC for an old hospital ambulance for $2,013. The board then went into closed session.

An accident occurred in Dent County Wednesday morning at 9:40 on Highway 68 and Route U. According to the highway patrol report, an eastbound 2017 Freightliner, operated by 57-year-old Mohamed Gelle of Minneapolis, Minnesota, turned left into the path of a westbound 2005 Dodge Dakota driven by 43-year-old Vada Calkins of Salem. Calkins suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Salem Memorial Hospital. The report stated that both drivers were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Dodge was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing. The Freightliner sustained moderate damage and was driven from the scene.

A “Hoppy” Easter Paint Party will be held Friday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 at the Creative Arts Center at 204 South Main. Come and paint your very own Easter bunny!! This paint party is perfect for kids and adults alike! Kids under 5 must have an adult present! The cost is $10 for children and $20 for adults and that includes all the supplies. A minimum of six people need to register for the party to be held and it will be limited to 25 people. Register online at the SACBA website. Under programs, find the Creative Arts Center, and registrations are on a first come, first served basis.

The Dent County Sheriff’s office has released several reports. On Saturday, March 9th, a deputy responded to the 200 block of Dent County Road 4155 for the report of a burglary. A 23-year-old Salem woman, told deputies she had returned home to find numerous items missing from her home. Information was taken for a report and the investigation is pending. The next day, Sunday the 10th, a deputy responded to the 100 block of County Road 6680 for the report of a stolen vehicle. The victim was a 28-year-old Salem woman, who told deputies that a family member had taken her car without permission. Suspect information was provided and a 30-year-old Salem woman was later arrested. On Thursday, March 14th, deputies responded to the 8000 block of Route K to located a wanted subject. The suspect, a 44-year-old Jadwin man, was arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail where he was incarcerated on the warrant. Finally on Friday the 15th, a deputy responded to the 2000 block of Route HH for a reported burglary. The victim in this case, a 42-year-old Salem man, told officers he had been out of town and returned to find his residence had been burglarized. Information was taken for a report and the investigation is pending. If you have any information regarding any investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s office at 729-3241.

Last Thursday in closed session, the Salem R-80 Board of Education employed Krystle Smith as an upper elementary title math teacher, employed Ashlyn Patterson as an upper elementary teacher, employed Stevee Piatt as Middle School Special Education teacher, employed Jared Patterson as a Middle School teacher as well as high school boys basketball coach. The board approved the recommended Salem R-80 probationary teachers, approved the tenured Salem R-80 teachers and approved the recommended remaining Salem R-80 paid coaches working in the district. The board approved the recommended volunteer coaches, approved the recommended Extra Duty contracts and also approved the recommended Extended Days contracts before ending closed session and adjourning the regular meeting.

Time is running out to make your appointment with the Volunteers from AARP who are conducting free tax filing assistance at the Salem Community Center@ the Armory. They currently have openings for free tax filing assistance every Friday through April 5th. Appointments can be made by calling the Salem Community Center at 729-8163. AARP provides this free tax service to our community and it is provided entirely by AARP trained volunteers. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are trained in filing certain tax forms and schedules, including the Form 1040. However, the Volunteer Pverification letter issued by the Social Security Administration. You should also bring birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return. Also needed are wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, 1099-Misc from all employers; year-end Social Security Statements showing total SS received and Medicare payments; and interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099). You should bring a copy of last year’s federal and state returns if available; plus proof of bank account routing numbers and account numbers for Direct Deposit, such as a blank check or deposit slip. To file taxes electronically on arotection Act requires that our volunteers stay in the scope of the program. If counselors feel they do not have adequate knowledge or your return is too complex, you may need to seek another qualified counselor or paid tax assistance. Items you will need to bring with you to have your tax returns prepared include: Proof of identification such as a picture ID; Social Security Cards for you, your spouse and dependents; or a Social Security Number married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms. The Salem Community Center @ the Armory is located at 1200 West Rolla Road. Appointments can be made by calling 729-8163.

A special waste collection for residential electronics, appliances, tires and media storage will be held from 9:00 in the monring until noon this Saturday at Cuba Public Works located at 407 Route PP in Cuba. The city of Cuba and Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC), with funding through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMD), are partnering on the March 23 collection. The collection is for residential items onlyand is open to residents from Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. For the first time, media storage is also being accepted at the collection. Media storage includes records, 8-track tapes, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, CDs, DVDs, floppy discs, external hard drives and flash drives. Stoves, washers, dryers, hot water heaters, and other appliances will be collected free of charge. Free electronics also include computer components, laptop computers, keyboards, hair dryers, VCR/DVD players, cell phones or anything that runs on a cord or battery. Oil and gas must be removed from tanks of any items such as push mowers, weed eaters, etc. All items must be free of debris. Tires on rims will not be accepted. Fees on certain items will be $25 for CRT TVs over 27 inches, projection screens and wood console TVs, $20 for CRT TVs under 26 inches, $15 for flat screen TVs, $10 for all computer monitors and refrigerated appliances with Freon, and $5 for printers, scanners or copiers. Fees for tires will be $2 each for passenger tires, $7.50 each for semi-truck tires and $35 each for tractor tires. For more information on items accepted or the fee structure, please contact Kathryn Hawes at MRPC at 573-265-2993 Ext. 110.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson was not in attendance due to a prior commitment, so County Clerk Angie Curley appointed District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray as the acting presiding commissioner. A road issue was brought to the attention of the commission on Dent County Road 5015 by Mr. Moore who said the county dug a ditch in front of his gate and was wondering if they are putting culvert there or what. He also asked about the pipes being unclogged up road from his residence. Commissioner Mobray said he would check this out. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Mobray said crews were still cleaning up roads and two workers were removing trees from last week’s storms. Another crew was repairing any damages done to the roads by the road rally. He also said shocks were being replaced on County Truck #125. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said crews would be repairing any road damage from the road rally. They would also be adding rock and grading on Dent County Roads 3180, 4330 and 4340. He also said brush would be cut on county roads 3360 and 4480 and a flat was going to be fixed on grader #42. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said “no excuse” absentee voting begins today at the courthouse and the last day to request a mail-out ballot will be Wednesday. She said her office would be open for absentee voting on March 30th from 8:00 in the morning until noon. She also said the last day for anyone to sign up to run for a county office would be March 26th at 5:00. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met last Thursday at the District Administrative Offices for their regular meeting. In the Superintendent’s Report, Dr. Lynne Reed said the Tin Gym Project with ESP has been concluded, and the the HVAC, plumbing and electrical plans for the FEMA Storm Shelter/Classroom have been reviewed. The school is hoping to open bids in April. She said students are pursuing adding wrestling as a club sport. Dr. Nathan Wills gave a report on the water testing and said a filter has been placed on the hydrant near the track and a waterline is being replaced at William Lynch Elementary which concludes the district remediation once they are tested. It was also reported there is a scheduled retreat of the board for July 9th. After the building reports, the board approved the content/filter classroom system Blocksi, approved the MSBA policy updates, approved the MSBA membership, approved the high school courses that offer Family and Consumer Sciences, approved the ancillary insurance renewal with standard and UHC for health, and approved the e-rate contract. The board also approved setting the Summer School dates for May 20th through June 7th with Memorial Day off, approved the salary schedule steps for all employees for the 2024-25 school year, and approved setting the meeting date for April 16th. The board approved the resignations of coaches Krystle Smith as the middle school volleyball coach and Bekah Hayes as the Girls Basketball Assistant Coach. They also approved resignations of high school English teacher Judy Moore, 3rd grade teacher Hannah Brown, high school science teacher Britney Sibiga, middle school special education teacher Rene Moncrief, middle school math teacher Juliana Skeeters, middle school English teacher Janet Creek, middle school social studies teacher Dustin Bell and Mia Billings as SLP. The board also accepted the resignation of paraprofessional Stephanie Cook and custodian Matt Oppelt before going into closed session.

An accident happened in Dent County Saturday evening around 7:20 at 119 Route DD. According to the highway patrol report, a Go-Kart being driven westbound by a seven-year-old male juvenile from Rolla, crashed as the driver made an abrupt turn, causing the passenger, 31-year-old Andrea Bowers of Rolla, to be ejected from the Go-Kart. Bowers suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Phelps Health. Everyone involved was wearing safety equipment. The Go-Kart sustained no damage and was left at the scene.

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 Jason Edwards will give his report before the board hears the summary of operations for the month of February as well as statistics for the month. The board will hear about the 340B program, receive the Chief Nursing Officer report from Ashley Owens and be updated on Human Resources. After the Chief of Staff’s report, the board will discuss the state and matching fund update as well as strategic planning before they discuss the medical staff bylaw review. The board will also discuss approving the bids received for the sale of an ambulance. The board may then vote to go 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 729-6626, ext 4005.

There will be a Toothbrush Rug Beginner Class Thursday evening, March 21st, from 6:00 until 8:00 with Amy Terrill. Join them for a fun rug-making, hands-on workshop. Learn an easy technique to make a rug with torn strips of fabric and a modified toothbrush. These rugs are quick to make and require no sewing. In this class, you’ll learn how to begin a toothbrush rug or table runner. You will leave class with a small rug that you can either use as a trivet or continue to build at home as large as you want it to be! All projects are machine washable, dry-able and last for years! No previous experience or skills necessary. The cost of of the class is $20 which includes all the supplies. The course is for those age 18 and above. A minimum of two people need to sign up and they will max out at 10. Regsiter online at the SACBA website. Under programs, find the Creative Arts Center, and registrations are on a first come, first served basis.

This past Saturday night near 7:30, the Dent County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a domestic disturbance at a residence located on Denty County Road 2520. The female caller reported that during this domestic disturbance, she had shot her husband, who was now deceased and located inside the residence. When officers arrived on the scene, they located a male, identified as 40-year-old Travis Lee Bailey, deceased inside the residence. The Dent County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control with the investigation into Bailey’s death. The investigation is currently on-going. Any future developments will be released as soon as they are received by law enforcement.

The team of Brandon Semenuk and Keaton Williams took 1st place at the 2024 100-acre Rally in the Woods in their Subaru WRX ARA24 with a time of 1:30:38.6, again beating the team of Barry McKenna and Leon Jordan in their 2019 Ford Fiesta who finished with a time of 1:32:27.1, falling short by about 1:50 seconds. Finishing in 3rd place was the team of Travis Pastrana and Rhianon Gelsomino in the their Subaru WRX ARA24 as they finished with a time of 1:33:19.1. The ARA wants to thank everyone attending the Parc Expose and those at the spectator points for attending.

The Dent County Fire Protection District board of directors met Tuesday evening. After the roll call and approval of the consent agenda and approval of the minutes from the February meeting, the financial report was presented showing an ending balance of 202,313.63 as of February 29th. Bills, payments, and statements were reviewed and approved, followed by the review and approval of the 2024 budget as presented. During the calendar review, it was noted on March 30th the department will be holding a vehicle firefighting class. It is an open invitation so that other departments can attend. Also, April 2nd will be the general election voting at the department. The monthly reimbursement report showed a total of 32 calls for the month of February bringing the total calls year to date to 72. Of those calls, 16 were for fires, five were responding to alarms, three were agency assist calls, two calls each responding to accidents, HazMat calls, and two listed as other. The department also had one each public service and utility call. In old business Feld Fire Service brought Scotts air bottles into the department on February 15th to demonstrate and have the firefighters try out and test. The SCBA bottles for both MSA and Scotts were tried out at training later that night. The bid given for the Scotts bottles was 97,053.66. To get the same as MSA the total would be 129,372.66 for the Scotts Air packs. The MSA bid was for 118,036.20. The Chief reported that the department had tried both and their recommendation was the MSA as they had a better warranty and repair time and were easier to put on and operate. Both were about 60 days out to receive shipment. The lawn care service was tabled until the next meeting awaiting pricing. The tower lease was tabled until the next meeting due to no contact with the company. The damaged water line has been repaired and capped. Bids are being obtained for the repair of the walls and will be presented at the next meeting. The board also requested that the treasurer order an audit to be completed due to the loss of an employee. Documents are being compiled for the audit and made available to the auditor. The audit will cost around 3,000 depending on the time required. The exact date of the audit completion has not yet been set. The pricing of a new truck has been obtained at approximately 250,000.00 and the board will check with financial institutions for financing to see if the department can obtain a new pumper truck. The truck is necessary to both keep the ISO ratings down for Dent County and to have enough trucks to help in mutual aid to neighboring departments for safety. In new business, there was a policy change for the approval of Executive Session Minutes. Secretary Dave Wells will investigate a bylaw for approval of executive minutes and will present it at the next meeting. In closed session, an interview was held with Andrew Baker and upon returning to open session, the board approved adding Baker to the department as a probationary firefighter. Chief Floyd then gave his report and said that the department is growing and coming together, and that money is the issue to get everything that is needed for the department. The date of the next meeting was then set for Tuesday, April 9th at 6:00 and the meeting will be open to the public.

The Dent County Commission Thursday morning met at the courthouse where they heard two road concerns. The first was on county road 5190 where at one time a gate blocked access to the road years ago. The county receives CART tax to maintain just over a half mile and 1st District Commissioner Wes Mobray will need to see where that comes to on the road. There is also a culvert and drainage problem on county road 4170 in the Adams Subdivision. Commissioner Mobray will check that out as well. In the road report, Mobray said rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 6590 with grading only on county roads 6580 and 5615. He said brush would be cut on county road 6580 and new blades were being put on Grader #39. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said new brakes were being installed on county truck #122, road signs were being installed on county road 3355, workers were repairing the side of county road 6150 next to a culvert, and a culvert pipe is being opened up on county road 3200. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said seven commissioners from the South Central County Commissioners Assn were in Jefferson City Wednesday and discussed Senate Bill 190 and unfunded mandates with representatives. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the last day for county office filing would be March 26th for the August Primary. The commissioners approved a petition for setting a speed limit of 25 MPH on county road 2210, approved putting out a notice to receive bids for a single year financial audit for fiscal year 2024 that would be done in 2025. Bids will be due by 10:00 on April 22nd in the clerk’s office. They also approved putting out a notice to receive chip and seal bids that will be due by 10:00 on April 15th in the county clerk’s office. They also approved the sale of a spreader box for a pickup from the Road and Bridge Department. Bids will be due on April 15th and they will be opened at 10:30. Commissioner Larson says the lights on the courthouse are now working properly and they have been programmed to be green this weekend for the 100-Acre in the Woods Road Rally and St. Patrick’s Day. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday at 9:00 and the meeting will be open to the public.

The Salem Utility Committee met Wednesday evening at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. Stacey Houston presented the financials for all the utility funds. Most of the funds were at or near budget numbers with the exception of a collection of back pay from Brightspeed for the use of city’s utility poles in the electric fund. Houston mentioned that the sewer improvements 2A and 2B are being done simultaneously, but the grant funds for the second part will not be forthcoming until late 2024 or early 2025. Houston has sent out requests for terms for the city to get around a $400,000 short term loan that would be paid off once the city is reimbursed. City Administrator Sally Burbridge said the city was finally able to successfully send bills by e-mail and are ready to incorporate that into their system. The committee did recommend that an amendment be made to Ordinance 700.010 that would allow monthly utility bills be e-mailed or sent electronically as well as mailed. Burbridge also said the automated phone bill paying system is close to being ready to accept payments, and currently about 300 people pay their bills online. Burbridge said the city is looking for a lead utility billing clerk and members of the staff are currently being trained by an employee of Encode showing them new features they did not know existed. Burbridge said she has reached out to BHMG that will be doing the electric rate study, but they have not gotten back to her yet. She went over some amendments that need to be made to the Power Supply & Administration Agreement among the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission and the MMMPEP. These changes will help strengthen the City of Salem credit rating and reduce their debt service to help lower their rates. The committee approved recommending the amendments to the agreement be approved by the Salem Board of Aldermen. Interim Public Works Director Joe Chase said a number of workers from the electric department are working on the Gateway Antennas repairing the Cat5 connectors and reinstalling the antennas. City workers are also replacing the metal tops on water meters with the poly tops as they seem to be able to get better signal strength. Burbridge explained that she has been able to “true up” the avoided fuel costs for the three solar power customers in Salem so they are now up to date. There was a suggestion in a previous meeting to make the avoided fuel cost rate a flat rate, but the committee elected to use the actual avoided fuel cost as the impact to the city would be only about $15 or so. A discussion on the new utility deposit ordinance was brought up as numerous concerned real estate brokers were in attendance. The problem was that a person buying a house didn’t know what their utility deposit would be based upon usage from the previous owners until signing up for services. A couple of instances with new home buyers brought the problem to light and the brokers wanted to know what could be done. A comparison of a number of other communities was presented and after some discussion, the committee agreed to recommend to the Board to change the ordinance and set the utility deposit at $300, and if the new tenant or purchaser could provide a Letter of Good Standing, the deposit would be reduced to $200 for all four utilities including trash, electric, water and sewer. They also rescinded their recommendation to use a soft credit check to determine if the deposit should be higher. The committee then thanked Chairman Kyle Williams for his work as Chairman of the Utility Committee as he is not running for re-election. The meeting was then adjourned.