Local News

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 2400 while only grading would be done on county roads 5170 and 5500. Mobray indicated brush would be cut on county roads 2440 and 2450 while a crew will also remove a trash pile on county road 2470 left in the middle of the road. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk stated rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 3070, while only grading would be done on county road 3050 and 3060. Polk also said brush would be cut on county roads 3120 and 3180. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he felt the parade went quite well Saturday evening even though it rained through the second half of it. Larson participated in the parade driving a classic car. He did want to say he and the commission apologize to the community for not having all the courthouse lights done in time for the Christmas parade. It was supposed to be done, but the contractor did not fulfill their promise they made when they were awarded the contract. He said he would be attending the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management business meeting Tuesday and their annual awards banquet. Prior to that on Tuesday, Commissioner Larson and Sheriff Bob Wells will be in Carter County at Van Buren to find out more information about moving forward with a grant to provide NG9-1-1 services in under served areas in Missouri presented by Mission Critical. Larson also reported that Thursday morning at 10:00 at the Dent County Fire Station, the commission will meet with Brent Headricks to discuss employing a new Emergency Management Director for Dent County. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley wanted to remind all persons wanting to run in the 2024 Municipal Election, you must sign up at the office of the entity for which you want to serve. You may want to check with the entity for any specific requirements you may need to meet before signing up. The last day to sign up will be December 26th. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Creative Arts Center will be offering a three week Stained Glass Snowflake Bevel class with Jennifer Curry today, and on December 12th and 19th. Two seperate classes will be held. You can attend the class from 1:00 until 4:00 in the afternoon, or the class from 4:30 until 7:30 in the evening. This class will allow you to create a soldered foiled glass snowflake using both glass bevels and stained glass found here at the Creative Arts Center. When finished you can hang this in your window and enjoy watching the real snow fall outside from the warmth of the indoors. The bevels this year will be somewhat smaller than those used last year so as to allow for more use of the beauty of colors found in stained glass. At least two people must sign up for the class and it will be limited to five people per session. Walk-ins welcome up until the end of the first session. The cost is $150 for 3 weeks All supplies and safety equipment are included. Class registrations are first come, first serve basis with online registrations. Interested persons can sign up under “Programs” at the salemcommunitybetterment.com website for activities at the Creative Arts Center.

Missouri’s late youth portion of the 2023 firearms deer hunting season, November 24th-26th. Of the 3,574 deer harvested, 1,697 were antlered bucks, 361 were button bucks, and 1,516 were does. Top counties for the late youth portion were Texas with 77 deer harvested, Pike with 62, and Callaway and Morgan, each with 61. In our area, Crawford County youth harvested 33 deer, Dent County youth took 46, the Phelps County count was 39, while Reynolds County young hunters took 47 deer and Shannon County’s total deer harvested was 31. For more information on this season’s harvest totals, visit the MDC website.

An accident happened just after 1:00 Monday morning in Phelps County on Highway 8 about four miles south of St. James. According to the highway patrol report, a 2005 Ford Focus being driven south by 29-year-old Mark Howes of St. Louis, was traveling too fast for the conditions. The vehicle went off the left side of the roadway and overturned, ejecting the driver. Howes, who was wearing a safety restraint, suffered serious injuries and was taken by Phelps Health ambulance to Phelps Health hospital for treatment. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors met Thursday evening for a special meeting at the fire station. After the call to order, Board President Craig Smith announced that the meeting was being held on short notice due to the necessity of the meeting, and with the phone lines and internet systems being down Wednesday, communications had been hindered to provide any timely notice. In new business, Dave Wells was nominated to be the custodian of records and budget manager. The nomination was accepted and Wells will include those duties to his current duties as secretary- treasurer. The board then briefly went into closed session. Coming back into open session, the board accepted the resignation request of Chief Brad Nash to step down as the district chief. A motion was made and carried to assign Assistant Chief Dennis Floyd as the interim Fire Chief. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Salem Hospital Board held a special meeting Friday afternoon in front of a large crowd of hospital employees to discuss the revised COVID vaccination booster policy recently approved by the board, and to discuss employee health insurance. The issue was revisited after the hospital had an employee townhall meeting with members of the board in which there was much discontent about the policy. The CDC is not mandating the booster and surrounding hospitals were also not mandating the booster. All the board indicated their original intent was to protect the patients and staff. Each board member had a chance to speak and Dr. Price seemed to sum it up best when she said the board approved the policy without taking into consideration those staff who do not deal with patients at all, or those with limited access to patients. She also said the board intended to allow any staff member who did not want to take the booster, not for just religious or medical exemptions, but also for any reason, which was not how the policy was interpreted. After a discussion, the board revised the policy as they are NOT mandating any employee to have to take the COVID booster, but they strongly encourage it and if the employee wishes to be vaccinated, the hospital will pay for it. It was brought up about adding a masking provision, but the hospital’s current masking policy was sufficient to cover what was needed. Interim CEO Jason Edwards talked about the health insurance for the employees. He has been in conversation with the management team which recommends the hospital changing insurance brokers, but at this late time, that can’t be done. The hospital is self-insured that is backed by a re-issurance broker which is currently IMA. The hospital has had a lot of claims which has driven their rate up. The anticipated cost for 2023 to the hospital is about $2,094,000 and with employee contributions expected at $366,470, the hospital will be responsible for the other $1.7 million dollars. Those costs in 2024 are expected to go up to $2,832,851 which is a 35.3% increase. The board discussed raising the employee contribution just over 20% to help pay for the raise in rates that would still leave the hospital responsible for 2.39 million dollars. After some discussion, the board elected to leave the current employee contributions at their current level with the hospital picking up any additional costs which appears to be close to $738,603. The board also approved looking for a new broker, preferably one they can talk to in person before deciding which one to go with, or even explore other options. This will probably not happen until the middle of 2024. The meeting was then adjourned.

An accident happened Sunday afternoon in Texas County on Highway 137 about two-and-a half miles north of Raymondville. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 GMC Pickup driven northbound by 28-year-old Lydia Beyer of Salem, traveled off the left side of the roadway and overturned. Beyer suffered serious injuries and was transported by the Texas County Ambulance to the Texas County Memorial Hospital. Beyer was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The GMC was totaled in the accident and removed from the scene by Jay’s Automotive in Houston.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Salem will hold the Christmas Parade of Lights in Salem this Saturday starting at 5:30 with this year’s theme: “Winter Wonderland.” The Grand Marshall for the parade this year is the Salem High School’s “Marching Blue.” The parade will run from the corner of South Grand and Franklin at the SBU Campus, traveling east to MacArthur, then going north to 4th Street before going heading east to the Dent County Courthouse square. If you can’t make it to the parade, KSMO Media will video stream the parade from 4th and Jackson beginning about 5:45. The video will be available on KSMO Stream Facebook Page, KSMO YouTube Page and at ksmoradio.com. There is no charge to watch the video stream. Following the parade Saturday night, the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center located at 202 South Main Street will be open from 6:30 until 8:30 for those who want to enjoy the incredible “Trees and Trains” exhibit titled ‘ A Snowy Tree Lot.” If you can’t make it Saturday night, the “Trees and Trains” exhibit is available for viewing from 9:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon Monday through Friday, and on Saturdays from 9:00 in the morning until 1:00 in the afternoon. If you need more information, call the ONCRC at 729-0029.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said his workers would be cutting brush on Dent County Roads 2430 and 2440, doing shop work on grader #38, and would be cleaning out a crossing on county road 6500. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said his crews would be adding materials and grading Dent County Road 3050 while only grading would be done on county road 3020. Polk said brush would be cut on county roads 3120 and 3180 and a grader blade was being changed out. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson wanted to remind everyone to enjoy the Salem Parade of Lights Saturday starting at 5:30 from SBU and ending up around the Dent County Courthouse which is expected to have its new Christmas lights in operation. Larson also reported Dent County Emergency Management Director Brad Nash has resigned his position immediately and the commission will have to find his replacement. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she is working on the budget and that election filing will begin on Tuesday for the municipal elections, school boards, the hospital board, the health center board and fire protection district boards. Filing will end on Tuesday, December 26th. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday at 9:00 and it is open to the public.

The Salem R-80 School Board recently received the second round of test results for lead content in the water. This test was conducted to determine where the lead content was emanating. The re-test used a flush method by running the water for 30 seconds prior to collecting a sample. Some water outlets were not re-tested as they were determined to be outlets not used for drinking water or food preparation. Signage was placed on those water outlets not re-tested to illustrate that they are not to be used for drinking or food preparation. The hydrant near the track is the only water outlet that re-tested above the 5 parts per billion threshold on the second round of testing after flushing. A total of 27 outlets were re-tested using the flush test method which indicates that supply lines are not contributing substantive amounts of lead into the water supply, but rather the outlets themselves are at fault. Some of the older faucets may have been manufactured before the lead/copper rule went into effect. The district is currently working to remediate the affected water outlets and will re-test in January. The Remediation Plan Recommendations by Get the Lead Out LLC for test points at or above 5 pbb lead content are permanent signage stating that the outlet is “Non-Potable Hand Washing Only”, the removal or replacement or the unit, or the installation of point of use filtration systems that have have lead reducing filters. Also, those sinks that have aerators should be checked to ascertain if the aerators are dirty, have scale build up, calcification or other blockages that could be trapping contaminants. If any are noted, then it may be worthwhile to clean or replace the aerators and retest after a thorough flush. Additionally, with the number of sinks that passed flush testing, sediment filtration is recommended to be installed in-line with the water main at the building entry points. If you desire further health information, call the Dent County Health Center at 1010 East Scenic Rivers Blvd in Salem or call 573-729-3106.

The Salem Board of Alderman met Tuesday night at the City Hall Council Chambers. After they approved the consent agenda, the board tabled a discussion on a new public comment policy so that questions can be asked of the city attorney in closed session. Finance Director Stacey Houston presented a look at the financials that showed electric consumption is down, but the revenue is up for the first third of the fiscal year by about $130,000 over last year; while water consumption is also down and revenues are about $48,000 less than the same time period last fiscal year. Sewer revenues are up over last year by almost $76,800. Sales taxes received in October were up 8% over last year in all the funds. The starting balance for all funds on October 1st was about 7.9 million dollars and increased to almost 8.1 million dollars by the end of the month. The board discussed a conditional use permit for a motorcycle detail shop at 1509 South Louise Street. This had been denied by the Planning and Zoning Commission first as a detail and mechanic shop, then as a detail shop. Commission member Tabitha Utley said the decision was made due to it being a residential subdivision with a large number of people in the immediate area. There were also some comments from three neighbors who expressed their concerns to Utley. Alderman Kyle Williams and Alderwoman Kala Sisco saw a need for this type of business and felt with the proper restrictions on the conditional use permit, it could be an asset. Alderwoman Duncan did not agree and thought the business would be out of place, hurting the resale value of these homes. After discussion on both sides, the board approved a conditional use permit by a 3-1 vote that would include these restrictions: no more than three vehicles can be at the property location in 24 hours, business hours must fall between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM, an unlit 4 by 8 foot sign may be placed against the building, no mechanical repairs, oil changes or tire changes will be allowed, the permit will be revoked if the restrictions are violated, the permit is non-transferable and it will be reviewed after one-year. The board heard the first reading of Bill #3579 that would change the Community Services Committee to the Community Involvement Committee, then heard the second reading of Bill #3578 officially changing the names of the streets in the Master’s Industrial Park for recording purposes that was approved by the board. Jeff Medows presented a timeline chart of projects to be done. The downtown sidewalk TAP grant is in the MoDOT review process and should be approved in a couple of weeks. Medows felt bids could be let out for the work in February and any contract awarded will work around the road rally, 4th of July Parade, Summerfest and any other event scheduled. City Administrator Sally Burbridge mentioned that city needs to work with the business owners that have their business affected during the construction. Medows reported comparison data on the water collection system being paid for by a DNR grant is being hampered by all the dry weather as the engineers need wet weather to do comparisons. He said that grant may be able to be extended. The waste water treatment plant work for parts 2A and 2B will be bid out in June or July of 2024, and will need to be finished by 2026. He said the new well and storage tank application to DNR should be made in January with bidding going out in the spring. Medows said the lead service line inventory method has been approved by DNR and the investigation of those lines should be completed by October of 2024. Mayor Greg Parker wanted to remind everyone about the City of Salem and Salem Chamber of Commerce Parade of Lights Saturday night at 5:30 followed by a special Trees and Trains event at the ONCRC. Public Works Director Mark Nash said work continues on the salt building on Center Street. He said he would put together an inventory of equipment that would tell the amount of expected life it has left for budget planning. Nash also said the snow removal equipment has been prepared for any weather change and the mowing of all city properties is completed. Alderwoman Sisco reported on the Finance Committee meeting held and said Sherry Lea has resigned from the committee. She said she plans on running for the East Side alderman position in April. Alderman Williams said the Road Rally group would like to install a ham radio antenna on a water tower and also add wording to signage stating “Home of the 100-Acre Wood Rally.” Williams said he is still working with SMTS on a public transportation system route with the help of the MRPC. He stated he will not be running for re-election in April. The board then went into closed session.

This Friday night at Echo Bluff State Park, they will kick off the holiday season with the annual tree lighting and Salem Chamber Choir performance in the lodge lobby! Come listen to the choir’s heavenly music fill the lodge lobby’s rafters as they perform traditional and international Christmas carols. The choir will perform following the lighting of the tree. There’s a rumor that Santa will make an appearance! Cookies and cocoa will be available. The festivities begin at 7:00 at the Echo Bluff Lodge located at 35244 Echo Bluff Drive in Eminence.

The Salem Memorial Hospital regular board meeting was held last Tuesday evening, November 21st, in the hospital library. In the Administrators Report, Interim CEO Jason Edwards reported that all work papers have been completed and the auditors final report is expected by the end of the month. He also said the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency testing is complete, and the CLIA lab inspection plan of correction has been completed. The Iron County Commissioners met last week to discuss the Doe Run Tax protest. Doe Run wants to devalue their property that would affect the approximately $174,000 that the hospital gets in taxes.  If the latest proposal is not accepted, legal action will proceed. CFO Doug Hoban reported hospital admissions were 80 which included four Swingbed admissions with a total of 202 patient census days. In October, there were 1,541 Outpatient Registrations, 968 Cardiopulmonary Procedures, 6,474 Lab Tests, 1,280 Radiology Procedures, 608 Rehabilitation Treatments, 33 Surgical Procedures, and 213 Home Health Visits. There were 596 Emergency Room visits with 46 patients being admitted. A total of 220 ambulance runs were made with 159 patients being transported. The hospital had expenses over revenue in October of $307,794 with a loss from operations of $309,395. The 340B plan showed revenues over expenses for October of $44,000. The Rural Health Clinic net profit was $18,694.80 but this does not include employee fringe benefits or indirect costs. If these costs were included it would show that the clinic loses money each month. The current Interim Clinic Director and Nurse Manager Director is Tina Pabin. Edwards reported that he is working with the state to get reimbursement for the hospital of up to $1 million to match what the hospital has spent from July 1st to May 31st. Deb Gorman presented a Proposed Revised COVID Policy that removed the mandate that all employees be vaccinated.  She reported that the Medical Staff are all against mandatory vaccinations. After a lengthy discussion by the board, a motion was made and approved to continue to mandate that all employees be vaccinated for the COVID-19 vaccination unless a documented medical or religious exemption was approved. Edwards presented proposed employee health insurance rates for 2024. The current anticipated cost for 2024 was up 35% with the employees portion up 20.6%. The board felt this needs to be bid out to better establish competitive rates.  A motion was made and approved to get more bids by the end of the year. Hoban presented two CD’s that need to be renewed and the board approved renewing them at Town and Country Bank at a rate of 5.42%. They also approved renegotiating the CD’s being held at the Bank of Salem totaling $400,000 with rates under 1% for higher rates. The meeting was then adjourned.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows young hunters ages 6-15 harvested 3,574 deer during Missouri’s late youth portion of the 2023 firearms deer hunting season, November 24th-26th. Of the 3,574 deer harvested, 1,697 were antlered bucks, 361 were button bucks, and 1,516 were does. Top counties for the late youth portion were Texas with 77 deer harvested, Pike with 62, and Callaway and Morgan, each with 61. In our area, Crawford County youth harvested 33 deer, Dent County youth took 46, the Phelps County count was 39, while Reynolds County young hunters took 47 deer and Shannon County’s total deer harvested was 31. For more information on this season’s harvest totals, visit the MDC website.

The Salem Community Center @ the Armory will host a benefit fundraiser and auction to help Michala Pope as she battles a rare and aggressive form of angio sarcoma cancer in her heart. The live auction will begin at 11:00 in the morning on Sunday, December 3rd. Donations will be accepted at the armory on Saturday evening, December 2nd from 6:00 to 7:00, and on Sunday morning, December 3rd, from 9:00 until 10:00. Admission to the fundraiser is a case of water or soda. This “HopeForPope” fundraiser will include lunch at $10 a plate, then a live auction of donated items with auctioneer Tom Wulff and a silent auction of baked goods. T-shirts are for sale for $20 each and a “March for Michala” walk around the city park will begin around 5:30 that evening with glowsticks. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the Pope Family. For more information, call Susie Cahill at 739-1127.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated materials would be added and grading would be done on Dent County Road 2490, while only grading would be done on county roads 5220 and 6400. Mobray also said brush would be cut on county road 2400. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk reported materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 5240, while only grading would be done on county roads 2110 and 2120. Polk said brush would be cut on county roads 3190 and 3220 and the grader blade is being changed on Grader #41. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said all three commissioners, the county treasurer, the county clerk and county assessor all attended the MAC Conference last week at the Lake of the Ozarks. There were good discussions on the distribution of the opioid settlement as well as on Senate Bill 190 among other topics. Overall, Larson felt the conference was very informative and went very well. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the county treasurer on all accounts for the month of October. She also reported she was elected to the MAC board as the representative of District 16. Curley wanted to remind those candidates who are wanting to run for a position during the Municipal Election in April that you will need to file at the office of the particular political subdivision you wish to be elected beginning December 5th, with filing continuing through December 26th. So if you want to run for the school board, you would file at the school district office; if you want to run for a city office, you would file at the city administration building, etc. Curley also said the 2024 county budget hearing would be January 29th at 10:00 at the courthouse. Tentative 2024 county budgets will be available to the public after 10:00 on January 18th at the county clerk’s office. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams presented the CART money received by the county this month. Williams said the county received $84,769.38 this month and that is up $13,031.46 from the November funds received in 2022 of $71,737.92. Year-to-date, the CART Funds are up $116,986.56 from last year or about a 15.9% increase. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning and it will be open to the public.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 193,669 deer during the November portion of firearms deer season, November 11th through the 21st. Of the 193,669 deer harvested, 105,614 were antlered bucks, 16,081 were button bucks, and 71,974 were does. Top harvest counties statewide were Franklin with 4,289 deer harvested, Texas with 4,208, and Howell with 3,749. Top counties in our area include Dent County with 2,621 deer harvested, Reynolds County had 2,023 deer taken, Phelps hunters took 1,937 deer, and Iron County saw 1,400 deer taken. This year’s harvest total was 3% lower than last year and 2% higher than the previous five-year average. Deer hunting continues in Missouri with archery deer hunting resuming through January 15th, 2024. The late antlerless portion of firearms deer season will run December 2nd through December 10th in open counties, and the alternative methods portion will occur December 23rd through January 2nd, 2024. Get more information on Missouri deer hunting from MDC’s 2023 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold and online at mdc.mo.gov.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports four people died in traffic crashes during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday counting period that started Wednesday evening, November 22nd at 6:00 and lasted through 11:59 Sunday night, November 26th. There were no boating crashes or drownings. During the Thanksgiving holiday counting period, troopers reported there were 431 traffic crashes resulting in 138 injuries and 4 fatalities. There were 103 DWI and 10 drug arrests. During the 2022 Thanksgiving holiday counting period, troopers investigated 414 traffic crashes, which included eight fatalities and 115 injuries. Statewide, 9 people died, and 482 people were injured in 1,355 traffic crashes over last year’s Thanksgiving holiday. Troopers arrested 113 people for DWI during the 2022 Thanksgiving holiday counting period.

The Salem Board of Alderman will be meeting tonight at 6:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers. After they approve the consent agenda, the board will discuss a public comment policy at alderman meetings, and hear the financial report from Finance Director Stacey Houston. In old business, the board will discuss the recommendation made by the Planning and Zoning Board to deny a request for a conditional use permit at 1509 South Louise Street. The board will then hear the first reading of Bill #3578 that would change the Community Services Committee to the Community Involvement Committee for the City of Salem. The board will hear the second reading of Bill #3578 officially changing the names of the streets in the Master’s Industrial Park for recording purposes. After the reports from the city officials, the board will go into closed session to discuss personnel and contracts. The meeting tonight is open to the public.

The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees held their regular meeting Thursday, November 16th. The minutes of the October regular meeting were approved followed by Administrator Zach Moser’s report. There was no Communicable Disease Report due to the resignation of the CD Nurse. In the diagnostics report, Moser said 238 blood draw appointments were completed in October, plus there were 29 COVID tests and 14 lead tests performed. The COVID-19 vaccinations totaled 178, while there were 262 influenza doses, and 75 other types of vaccinations were administered. A total of 758 appointments were held during September, plus WIC appointments totaled 316. There were also two Show-Me Health Women appointments and six Title X Family Planning appointments. Moser noted there were 80 urine drug screenings conducted on behalf of the Dent County Treatment Court. Assistant Administrator Roma Jones gave the environmental report where two total inspections were conducted, there were no recalls, there were two sewer complaints, and ten environmental questions were fielded. In the Administrator’s report, Moser reported that Miller Glass has ordered the materials for the doors, but they have not been delivered yet. He noted that the Lead (Pb) Project Manager has been hired. and the Youth Vaping Town Hall meeting will be December 14th at the Salem Community Center @ The Armory. The Health Center financial reports for October, including the review 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, the Board discussed the public comments relative to the proposed Food Regulations. There were 2 comments opposed and two comments in favor. The “Good” and “Okay” rating system was questioned in several comments, and the licensing period renewal at the beginning of the year was noted to be difficult due to it being a busy time of year. The DCHC staff recommended to the Board to keep the rating system as Good or Okay but to change the licensing period to begin in July instead of January. The Board approved the food regulations with the change from January to July as the licensing period. The 2024 budget was discussed and Secretary-Treasurer Bob Gravely pointed out that it was very important to dive into assumptions made and the sources of the numbers presented. He and Moser will work together to critically evaluate the budget and a tentative date of December 18th at 5:00 was set for a Board Budget meeting. Election filing dates for the two Board seats held by Lori Hasten and Carol Lacy are up for election with the filing dates being December 5th through the 26th. Due to increased personnel costs and the ending of grant funding that had subsidized the cost of lab tests, the cost of those services will have to be increased. Lab order prices will remain the same and lab draw fees will increase to $25.00 effective December 1st. No action was taken on what services the nurse practitioner should be authorized to provide. A motion was made to go into closed session and a roll call vote was taken with all being in favor. The Board exited closed session having approved a revised bid from Evapar regarding the generator. The additional costs for the 48KWH generator were necessary in order to tie into all three service points. The total cost increased from $36,930 to $42,365. The next regular meeting of the Board was set for Thursday, December 21st at 5:00.

The last signup for the Dent County Toy Drive and the Salvation Army Angel Tree will be TODAY from 3:30 until 5:30 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road. These programs are limited to children from newborn to 12-years of age, and the parent or guardian they live with MUST sign them up. The parent needs to bring with them a birth certificate or shot record or current grade card to prove the child’s age; and the parents must live in Dent County. A current utility bill or a letter from the school the child attends will also work. Only one person per family may register and no children are allowed to be present during the signups. Parents will be asked the interests of each child, and they should know their children’s clothes and shoe sizes. The Dent County Toy Drive and the Salvation Army want all children to have a great Christmas, but they are also asking parents not to sign up unless you truly need the help. If you have questions, message the Dent County Toy Drive on their Facebook page or call 729-8163.

The staff at KSMO Media and Your World Today wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! In lieu of the Thanksgiving holiday, Your World Today will not be published Thursday or Friday this week.

An accident happened Monday evening just after 6:00 in Texas County on Highway 63 about five miles south of Licking. According to the highway patrol report, a 2001 Ford F-150 being driven northbound by 49-year-old Sarah Sullings of Salem, struck a parked and unoccupied 2000 Chevrolet 3500. Sullings suffered moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to the Texas County Memorial Hospital. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Jays Towing. The Chevrolet was totaled and left at the scene. The report went on to state that Sullings was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident.

An accident happened Tuesday morning at 1:15 in Phelps County on Route O south of Fawn Run Road, south of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, a 2021 Nissan Versa being driven south by 37-year-old Luis Martinez of Rolla, crossed over the center line and went off the left side of the road, struck a tree and overturned. Martinez, who was wearing a seat restraint, suffered serious injuries and was taken by Phelps Health ambulance to Phelps Health Hospital. The Nissan was totaled and removed from the scene by C & C Towing.

The Salem Memorial Hospital has announced its has partnered with the Missouri HealthNet Division and Unite Us in the rollout of the Transformation of Rural Community Health Program, better knows as ToRCH. The Missouri HealthNet Division is the agency that administers Missouri’s Medicaid program; and Unite Us is a national leader in software enabling cross-sector collaboration. Through this partnership, the Salem Memorial Hospital will partner with organizations across the community to direct strategy and coordinate efforts to address the social drivers of health. A key focus of the program will involve the rollout of the unite Us Platform which will enable organizations participating in ToRCH to send and receive secure, electronic referrals, address Medicaid participants social needs and improve health across the ToRCH communities. Together the Salem Memorial Hospital and Unite Us will securely connect people in need with community-based resource that could otherwise be difficult to navigate. The network will provide a central point of contact where health and social services providers can securely access and refer people to needed services while monitoring progress and measuring outcomes. If there are non-profits, community-based organizations and other providers who want to connect their clients and patients to services within the UniteUs network, reach out to uniteus.com contact.

At the Salem R-80 Board meeting closed session held last Thursday, the board approved an A Plus appeal for a student before a personnel issue was discussed. The board also accepted the resignation of Jerry Adkins as the Freshman Basketball Coach and Football Coach. The board also approved the SBU building contract before closed session was adjourned.

The Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit volunteer bell ringers will begin raising funds for those in need at Country Mart and Wal-Mart around the familiar red kettle this Wednesday, then every Friday and Saturday through December 23rd. Counter kettles will also be located at various locations throughout the community. The kettles are the primary way funds are raised locally to continue to meet the needs of the less fortunate in our community. For those who do not want to handle cash, you can donate digitally with Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo at any Red Kettle across the country. Every donation helps hope march on for those in need, and all gifts stay within the community in which they are given. If you would like to volunteer to ring the famous Salvation Army bell, please call Susie at 729-6771 or 247-7099. You can also call the Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit office at 729-8163. Don’t forget the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree and Dent County Toy Drive signup on Monday, November 27th from 3:30 to 5:30 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road.

Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, reminds everyone there will be an increase in traffic over the Thanksgiving holiday and drivers should remain alert to changes along their normal route. Regardless of traffic patterns, safety should remain a priority. The counting period for the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday weekend is from 6:00 this Wednesday evening through 11:59 Sunday night, November 26. Troopers will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E., enforcing all traffic laws, and available to assist the public. Over the 2022 Thanksgiving holiday counting period, nine people were killed and 482 injured in 1,355 traffic crashes. Drivers should make sure their vehicles are in good condition and that they are well rested before they start driving. Remember: There is never a reason to speed, drive aggressively, or drive impaired. If boating or fishing are part of your Thanksgiving holiday weekend plans, remember there is less daylight, which makes your vessel’s navigation lights essential. Check your lights and have extra bulbs on board before you head out. This time of year, the water is becoming colder and hypothermia is a concern. The body loses heat 25 times faster in water than in the air of the same temperature. If you take an unexpected plunge in cold water, it’s important to get out of the water and into dry clothes as soon as possible. Most boaters wear more clothing this time of year, so the proper wearing of life jackets and using caution to avoid falling overboard is even more important. The public is encouraged to call the Patrol’s Emergency Report Line at 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on your cellular phone if they witness criminal activity or experience an emergency. These phone numbers are operational for both highway and water emergencies. If your celebration includes alcohol, designate someone else to drive whether you are in your boat or your car. Please don’t become a statistic.

Staying warm in the winter should be everyone’s priority when the weather changes, but often too little attention is paid to the danger posed by prolonged exposure to the cold. According to the Department of Health and Senior Services, 52 people died in Missouri as a result of low body temperatures due to prolonged exposure to cold weather in 2022. Protect against frostbite and hypothermia by wearing warm, loose-fitting clothing in several layers. Avoid alcohol, limit time spent outdoors in frigid temperatures and stay indoors if possible. Once inside, make sure your heating sources are operating properly and for those burning fuels, proper ventilation is essential. Make sure alternate heat and power sources such as fireplaces, woodstoves, kerosene heaters and generators function properly. These sources can be dangerous and must be regularly maintained and operated. Keep the correct fuel for each source on hand in a safe location.. Properly install carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home and only operate generators outdoors. Remember that space heaters are potentially deadly when misused. Space heaters account for approximately one-third of home heating fires and 80 percent of home heating fire deaths. Supplemental heating sources like these should be turned off when leaving a room or going to bed. Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from heating equipment. For more information or safety tips, go online to CPSC.gov.

An accident Saturday night at 10:40 in Dent County on Route HH about two miles south of Salem took the life of a Salem teenager. According to the highway patrol report, 18-year-old Kenneth Laughlin of Salem was operating a 2020 Honda CBR650 Motorcycle and traveling southbound when he went off the right side of the roadway. The motorcycle went airborne over a culvert and struck a tree. Laughlin was ejected from the Honda and was pronounced dead at the scene by the Dent County Deputy Coroner Gina White. The body was taken to the Wilson Mortuary. Laughlin was wearing safety equipment at the time of the accident. The motorcycle was totaled and removed from scene by a private party.

The Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit volunteer bell ringers will begin raising funds for those in need at Country Mart and Wal-Mart around the familiar red kettle on Wednesday November 22nd, and then every Friday and Saturday through December 23rd. Counter kettles will also be located at various locations throughout the community. The kettles are the primary way funds are raised locally to continue to meet the needs of the less fortunate in our community. For those who do not want to handle cash, you can donate digitally with Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo at any Red Kettle across the country. Every donation helps hope march on for those in need, and all gifts stay within the community in which they are given. If you would like to volunteer to ring the famous Salvation Army bell, please call Susie at 729-6771 or 247-7099. You can also call the Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit office at 729-8163. Don’t forget the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree and Dent County Toy Drive signups TODAY and next Monday, the 27th from 3:30 to 5:30 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met Thursday evening at the district administrative offices. After approving the consent agenda, the board heard from auditor Ken Schulz who said the school district received a clean opinion on their financial position. He said the school uses a cash basis and he indicated the school has an excess of revenues over expenses in the 2022-23 year over the previous year of $130,363 as revenues did increase $2,871,000, put expenses increased as well with the construction projects. Schulz said revenues increased from local, county and state sources while federal monies received went down $319,000 from the previous year. He also said tuition from the rural schools was down about $50,000. Schulz stated at the current debt service rate, the district would be debt free by 2038 and the pension balance fund is currently at $9,242,000. The board approved the audit report. Also at the meeting, eight students from the Salem FFA Chapter presented their “Ag Ed on the Move” to the board including “cow” bingo. They presented this program to all 3rd graders at Salem R-80 and plan to get to all the rural schools as well. Gilmore Bell from Stifle Nicholas was on hand to talk about financing of the new general obligation bonds as the school currently has a $2.75 property tax rate with a 45 cent debt service for a total of $3.20. Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Nathan Wills discussed ways to raise revenues including increasing the property tax rate levy to help cover expected future costs with increased teacher salaries and more, plus the additional bond indebtedness and how the school would be able to repay it. No decisions were made at this meeting. The construction trades building work continues on schedule. After hearing building principals and Athletic Director Clay Moody, the board set the filing dates from December 5th at 8:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon on December 26th. Steve Patterson and Chris Heavin’s terms will be expiring in April. The board heard a discussion on the creation of a “small” school Four Rivers Conference and “large” school Four Rivers Conference. Salem would be in the “small” conference if this idea moves forward. The board was presented a comparison of the activities offered by all the schools in the conference. No decision was made by the board. The Board approved the bid from Rommel’s Lock and Key for the new Ag Building doors for $8,600, and approved the wellness plan and assessment. At the request of Superintendent Reed, the board approved moving the December board meeting to 5:30 on December 14th. The board accepted the resignations of personal aid Shelby Hay, paraprofessional Sarah Sullins from the Upper Elementary School and Makaila Chapman. The board then went into closed session.