Local News

The City of Salem Parks and Recreation Board will hold a meeting this evening at 5:30 at the Salem Community Center @the armory. The board will receive updates on disc golf. They will hear reports on summer ball and the swimming pool. Then they will review the budget and go over upcoming events. Next hear any board resignations, then go into closed session. The meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Police Department has released a number of reports for mid through late June. On June 15th around midnight, officers contacted a man who had an active warrant out of the Missouri Probation and Parole with no bond. As a result, 30-year-old Terry Storm of Salem was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. On June 17th near 3:00 in the afternoon, officers contacted a man that had two active capias warrants for his arrest out of Probation and Parole and the Phelps County Sheriff’s Office. As a result, 38-year-old Matthew Butzler of Salem was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. At 1:00 in the afternoon on June 21st, officers were dispatched to the 200 block of East Center Street for a report of a domestic dispute. It was reported the argument was taking place over a dog that had been neglected and had died. As a result of the investigation, a 43-year-old Salem female was arrested and issued a summons for animal abuse. On the evening of June 22nd around 7:30, officers were dispatched to Wal-Mart for a report of a shoplifting. It was reported that a woman had stolen $293 worth of merchandise. As a result of the investigation by police, a 39-year-old Rolla woman was arrested and then later released on a summons to appear in court. On June 24th around 9:30 in the evening, officers contacted a woman who had an active warrant for her arrest out of the St. James Police Department. As a result, 57-year-old Patricia George of Rolla was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail awaiting extradition. Please contact with the Salem Police Department at 573-729-4242 if you have any information on any ongoing investigation.

The Missouri Department of Conservation invites landowners and others interested in managing deer on their properties to join a live webinar via Zoom on Thursday evening, July 28th, from 6:00 until 7:00 to learn about its Deer Management Assistance Program, known as DMAP. MDC staff and staff from the National Deer Association will explain the program, answer questions, and offer testimonials from landowners who have used the program. DMAP can help landowners manage deer on their properties by allowing them and hunters they designate to buy additional firearms permits to take antlerless deer on the properties above and beyond regular season harvest limits. Any private property of at least 500 acres located outside of municipal boundaries, regardless of the owner’s legal residence, is eligible for the program. For properties inside the boundaries of a city or town, at least 40 acres are required. Individual parcels of land, regardless of ownership, may be combined to satisfy the acreage requirements as long as no parcel of land is more than a half-mile by air from the boundary of another parcel being combined to form an enrolled DMAP property. DMAP also provides landowners with science-based methods and information to address a spectrum of other local deer-management goals, including Quality Deer Management objectives. To learn more about DMAP, including enrollment visit MDC online at mdc.mo.gov/dmap, or contact your local MDC private land conservationist or conservation agent.

An accident happened Monday afternoon at 5:00 in Phelps County on Highway BB about one half mile past the Rolla city limits. According to the highway patrol report a 2016 Toyota Camry being driven by 25-year-old Sarah Forshee of Rolla was stopped in traffic waiting to make a left turn into a private drive. Forshee was struck from behind by a 2012 Lincoln MKZ being driven by 35-year-old Brianne Friede, also of Rolla. Forshee was taken to Phelps Health Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Friede, along with two juvenile passenger, ages 7 and 10, all suffered minor injuries and chose to seek their own treatment. The Camry sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by D&D Towing. The Lincoln was totaled and removed by Dishman’s Towing. The report went on to state that all involved were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is revising its surveillance and management plan for chronic wasting disease (CWD) and is seeking public feedback on the plan’s goals and objectives, and potential changes to deer hunting regulations. CWD is a fatal, contagious, disease of white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family, known as cervids. The disease is 100% fatal to deer and there is no known cure, treatment, or vaccine. The disease can be spread from deer to deer through direct contact and when deer encounter the disease-causing agent after it has entered the environment from an infected deer. According to Conservation Department, CWD poses a direct threat to the health of Missouri’s deer population, making efforts to manage the disease critically important. MDC developed its first CWD Surveillance and Management Plan after detecting the first cases of the disease in 2010 in northcentral Missouri. Following the detection of CWD in other areas of the state, MDC updated its CWD Surveillance and Management Plan in 2015. The MDC is again wanting to revise its CWD Surveillance and Management Plan to ensure that surveillance and management efforts adapt to changing disease dynamics. As part of the plan revision, MDC is considering some changes to deer-hunting regulations for the 2023 deer hunting season. Proposed regulation changes include increasing the maximum number of firearms antlerless deer hunting permits that a hunter could fill from two to four in select counties, creating a three-day early antlerless portion of firearms deer season in select counties that would begin on a Friday in early-to-mid October, and creating a five-day CWD portion of firearms deer season in select CWD Management Zone counties that would begin the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. For more information on the suggested revisions, visit MDC online at mdc.mo.gov/cwdplan.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams presented the CART money received in July and reported the Road and Bridge Fund received $68,696.84 which is $2,835.64 more than the 2021 figure of $65,861.20. The increase year-to-date is $26,457.51 which comes to about a 6.36% increase. Williams also said a $40,000 budgeted transfer from the Inmate Security Fund was made to the new Jail Operations Fund. That leaves $20,000 yet to be transferred as per the budget after a $60,000 transfer was made in March. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said brush was being cut on Dent County Road 5110 and all the other crew members were stock piling rock at the road and bridge maintenance shed. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials were being hauled to Dent County Road 2330 and crews were out checking other roads for possible washouts. Larson went on to say two men would be going to Jefferson City to pickup truck #116 from Knapheide after they repaired the hydraulic problem. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles stated before the rains received Monday, the drought condition this year will probably end up worse than the one in 2012 when it was dry early in the year, but fertilizer had been put down allowing the grass to came to life when the rains came in August and September. This year with the cost of fertilizer so high, most farmers couldn’t afford to put that down in the spring so the long-term affect this year for grass may be worse. Skiles said he would be attending a Meramec Community Enhancement Corporation meeting on Wednesday afternoon. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the August Primary is fast approaching. Absentee voting continues in her office until 5:00 on August 1st and voters will need to choose a specific party ballot when they vote between the Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or the Constitution Party. She also said her office will be open this Saturday, July 30th from 8:00 in the morning until noon for absentee voting. Election Day will be Tuesday, August 2nd from 6:00 in the morning until 7:00 in the evening. You still have time to change your voter registration if you have moved or had a name change. Come by the county clerk’s office at the courthouse and get that taken care of before Tuesday. Don’t forget to bring an ID with you to vote. This could be your driver’s license, a government issued ID, your electric or gas bill, college ID, or bank statement. If you have any questions, please call her office at 729-4144. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Senior Center will be hosting a lunch with State Representative Ron Copeland this Wednesday morning at 11:30 at 604 N McGrath Lane. Everyone is welcome to attend. Lunch is served until 1:00.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will hold their regular meeting tonight at the city hall council chambers at 6:00. The board will hear from Jenna Deason asking to close the roads around the courthouse including Iron, 4th and 5th Streets for an October music festival that includes kids’ games and vendors. The board will also hear from Town Screen, LLC about their video network in Salem that focuses on local business and activities. After the consent agenda, the board will discuss Bill #3513 that would create an ordinance pertaining to the appointment of a temporary city administrator; and they will discuss Bill #3514 that would create an ordinance for the mayor to execute contingency allowance #4 between the city and ESP for additional requested duct work for the old city hall for $1,768. The board will hear bids on transformers for the electric department before hearing from City Administrator Ray Walden and Mayor Greg Parker. The board will also hear from Public Works Director Mark Nash who will discuss an emergency purchase of a sewer machine before Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge gives her report and Park and Recreation Director Meliss Dubois gives her report. The aldermen at that time will be able to present their reports. The board will then go into closed session to discuss contracts, personnel and real estate. The meeting of the city of Salem Board of Alderman Tuesday is open to the public.

The Salem Board of Education in closed session Thursday evening employed Becca Hays as the assistant girls’ basketball coach and Jordan McLaurin was transferred to assistant boys’ basketball coach. The board also approved setting the administrator salary schedule based on the number of years as an administrator. The meeting was then adjourned. A correction to the story from Monday where it was written the board accepted the resignation of Julie Harris. They did not accept her resignation, but they did institute the late resignation penalty as outlined in the board policies as written. We apologize for the error.

The Creative Arts Center will be offering a kid’s summer mini art camp with Danielle Norris. The camp will be three days starting Wednesday from 8:30 in the morning till 11:30. The camp is $60 per child and includes all supplies needed plus a small snack each day. Projects will revolve around learning and nature. The targeted age group for the camp is grades first through nineth. There will be an informal art show Friday morning at 11:15 for parents. To sign up call or text 573-247-0651. Or visit our website at: salemcommunitybetterment.com.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning in the Courthouse. Dent County Emergency Management Director Brad Nash was in. Nash discussed the need for a Burn Ban Ordinance and the Commissioners approved Ordinance 2022-1, which has been used in the past. He also thanked the Commission for the $40,000 ARPA funds that will be divided equally among the four rural fire departments. Nash also expressed appreciation for the new extrication equipment that the Commission previously approved. He explained that the company that the equipment is being purchased from had loaned his department a set which they had to use last week on a single car accident on Highway 19 South. Nash reported that they were able to extricate the victims in 10 to 15 minutes, which was about the time it would have taken to get the old equipment operational. Bob Parsons on behalf of the Junior Livestock Committee thanked the Commission for hauling chips to The Commons prior to the 4-H and FFA Expo. Members of the Committee had removed old chips from the barns and used the ones hauled in to establish a fresh base. In the road report, District One Commissioner Wes Mobray said grading would be done on Dent County Road 5690, which is wet nearly year-round, and the dry weather has made it workable. He said service was being done on the new Brush Cutter #10 and Truck #125. Mobray went on to report that a blower motor and resistor were being replaced in pickup #73. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson reported that grading would be done, and materials would be added to Dent County Road 4060, plus the transmission was being serviced on Truck #124. He also reported that bridge repair was taking place on county roads 2200 and 2370, both of which will be time consuming jobs. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he has been on the phone a lot with Kelly Sink at MRPC as they work on the details of the ARPA funds that are going to the fire departments. Skiles reminded everyone of the Burn Ban Ordinance approved at the beginning of the meeting and cautioned smokers to refrain from throwing cigarettes out of their vehicles. Nash had noted at the beginning of the meeting that one of the grass fires last week was thought to have been started by a cigarette. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported absentee voting continues in her office through August 1st and that since the election is a primary voters will have to choose one of the four party ballots. The next meeting of the Commission will Monday morning at 9:00 in the Courthouse and it is open to the public.

Two new picnic pavilions and the recently renovated historic entrance station are now open in the Big Spring district of Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The Big Spring Pavilion, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1935, and the Peavine Pavilion, built in the 1950s, were both destroyed in the devastating 2017 flood. The new picnic shelters have been designed to adhere to the historic “CCC era” building style and constructed to better withstand future floods. The Big Spring Pavilion is located a short distance from the beautiful Big Spring, with views overlooking the spring branch. The Peavine Pavilion is located just off Peavine Road, along the road to Big Spring campground, with river access for swimming nearby. Both pavilions are equipped with picnic tables to accommodate up to 60 people, lights, electricity, and water. Each one also features a fire pit and two grills, one of which is ADA-accessible. Both shelters are now accepting reservations on www.recreation.gov for $30 per day plus a $3 reservation fee. The historic entrance station re-opened in June and will once again welcome visitors to the Big Spring area. Constructed by the CCC in 1936, it served as the main entrance to the former Big Spring State Park on State Highway 106. It embodies the Rustic style of architecture that is characterized by hand craftsmanship, use of native materials, and details influenced by Ozark culture. The timber-framed, cross gable design with irregular, coursed cut stone walls is the same style featured in the Big Spring Dining Lodge and other historic structures just down the road. The entrance station will be open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily through the summer, with rangers available to provide information, park maps, souvenir passport stamps, and exhibits about the CCC work at Big Spring. For more information, contact Ozark National Scenic Riverways Headquarters at (573) 323-4236, visit the park’s Facebook page, or website at www.nps.gov/ozar.

The Salem Police Department has released a number of reports for early through mid-June. On June 2nd near midnight, an officer contacted a woman in reference to an active arrest warrant out of Dent County. As a result, 49-year-old Alexandra Blackwell of Salem was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail awaiting bail. On June 3rd around 9:00 in the evening, an officer contacted a man that had an active warrant out for his arrest from the Dent County Sheriff’s Office. As a result, 19-year-old Michael Longrie of Licking was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. On June 7th near 10:00 in the evening, an officer was dispatched to the 1400 block of South Hickory for a report of a disturbance. It was reported that two males had a disagreement that live at the home and one of them assaulted the other. As a result of the investigation, a 19-year-old Salem man was arrested and later released on summons to appear in court. Then on June 11th and 12th, there was three separate shoplifting incidents involving the same man. After a short investigation, officers found out who the suspect was and as a result an 18-year-old Salem man was arrested and issued three summons to appear in court. The total approximate value of all the items stolen was $300. Please contact with the Salem Police Department at 573-729-4242 if you have any information on any ongoing investigation.

The Creative Arts Center will be having a barn quilt class with Terrie Welch and Tana Kettner on Monday and Tuesday August 1st and 2nd, but you must pre-register for the class by TONIGHT. The cost is $55 a person and all supplies are provided. To sign up, call or text 573-247-0651, or go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look for the Salem Creative Arts Center.

The “Christmas in July” Toy Drive this Saturday will be from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at The Commons in Salem. Bring a toy to fill the truck to win a door prize. There will be a craft show and a silent auction of some valuable items. Registration for the Poker Run starts at 10:00 sponsored by South Central Abate with kick stands up at 11:00. Registration for a Cornhole Tournament will be at 12:00 noon with the games at 1:00. Also, at 1:00 in the afternoon there will be a Jeep Show and the Current River Cruisers Car Show. Free kids’ games will be held throughout the day. Burgers, hot dogs and BBQ chicken dinners will be available for purchase. For more information call 247-2216 or find them on Facebook at The Dent County Toy Drive.

With another round of excessive heat expected this week and through the weekend, the City of Salem and Intercounty Electric Cooperative Association are again asking everyone to try to conserve your energy usage especially between 2:00 in the afternoon until about 9:00 in the evening to keep your electric bill as low as possible. The easiest way is to increase the temperature on your thermostat for your air conditioner anywhere from one degree to four or five degrees, use ceiling fans or small fans to help circulate the air in your home, refrain from doing any baking or using your stove top burners fully during those hours by preparing meals earlier in the day and using your microwave to reheat them during the hottest part of the day, avoid doing laundry during these hours especially if you have an electric water heater and electric clothes dryer, and close your blinds or drapes to eliminate direct sunlight from beating into your home which can add as much as ten or more degrees to the temperature. These tips can help conserve energy and help you save on your electric bill. For more energy saving tips, please visit www.salemmo.com or ieca.coop and type in the search box summer energy saving tips.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital regular board meeting was held Tuesday evening in the Hospital Library. The Board elected officers for the next fiscal year, and they are Mike Swyers as Chairman, Willie Strader as Vice-Chairman and A. J. Seay as Secretary. Interim CEO Don Babb said Jim Renfrow is the new lab director and right now an investment analysis on a walk-in clinic is being done with hopes of opening one this fall. Dr. Al talked about Dr. Tiffany Bland and how she has about 15-16 patients per day and is using the Salem hospital services except where specialization is needed. In the summary of operations for the month of June, the hospital had 62 inpatient admissions with 226 inpatient census days. There were 112 days of swingbed with an average length of stay almost 27 days. During the month, there were 631 emergency room visits with 41 admissions, plus there were 187 ambulance runs where 135 patients were transported. In June, there were 22 surgical procedures cases, 1,227 outpatient registrations, 5,273 lab tests, 1,010 radiological procedures, 651 rehab treatments and 149 home health visits with 12 home health admissions. The days cash on hand was at 71 with $5.2 million total cash. The hospital showed a gain from operations for June of $339,855.36 with an Excess of Revenues of $343,586. CFO JoeAnn Hammond said the hospital for the last fiscal year lost $306,114.30 with an increase in revenues of around three million dollars while the expenses remained about the same. She said the hospital will pay off the Medicare advance payment by the second week of August which currently has a balance of $258,987.12. She also has worked with the auditors cleaning up several accounts, capitalizing the POB 3 building basement improvement and the MRI building addition. Ashley Sullins gave the Director of Nursing report and said Telemetry in being installed Monday with training scheduled all week. She said John Sawyer was hired June 27th as the Med-Surg and ED Clinical Supervisor while Sammy Smith stepped down from the ED Clinical Supervisor position and became a part-time Clinical Informatic Specialist. The hospital is short two full-time night shift nurses and a PRN day shift nurse in Med Surg, and the Emergency Department needs full time night shift nurse. She said currently there are 44 COVID-19 cases in Dent County with a positivity rate of 9.35%. Hammond said the Hospital Foundation had a $14,922 profit for the golf tournament and are planning a cornhole tournament in September or October. The board elected Wanda Tatom to serve as the board foundation representative. In the community, Family Nurse Practitioner Shelly Bland gave 24 sports physicals in Ellington with three of the families transferring their care to the SMDH Family Medicine. They also were part of the 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction and Pie Auction held at The Commons. The Med staff reviewed and recommended staff privileges for Dr. Munfahk and Ray, MD-Thoracic Surgeons from Washington University in St. Louis, Dr. Dar, MD in teleradiology, Shannon Jennings in tele-psych, Dr. Tessaro in Emergency Department LifeStat, Dr. Marc Franke, Optometrist for Long-Term Care, Dr. Hornbeck for the Emergency Department, Dr. Baldwin in Gynecology and Dr. Nelly for the Clinic and Hospitalist who will begin at SMDH Family Medicine around December 1st. The transformer project is now underway but there is a 10-12 week lead time on transformers. The hospital expects the work to be completed around November 1st. The hospital had eight new employees start in June but 10 other employees left the employ of the hospital. The board set the public tax rate hearing for August 16th at 5:45. CEO Babb reminded the board of the Delta Regional Community Health Systems Development Program meet and greet at 5:30 on September 20th. The board then went into closed session.

An accident occurred Tuesday night at 9:48 in Iron County on County Road 80-A about four miles east of Viburnum that took the life of a Belleview man. According to the highway patrol report a northbound 2002 Ford Focus, driven by 18-year-old Brant Sanders of Bellview, traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree. Sanders was pronounced dead just after midnight Wednesday by Dr. Matthew Hart at Washington County Memorial Hospital in Potosi. According to the report Sanders was not wearing a safety device at, the time of the accident. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Abney’s Towing.

The Salem Community Choir free concert scheduled for this Sunday at the Courthouse Gazebo has been postponed due to the excessive heat predicted for the weekend. The next concert for the choir will be on the courthouse lawn Sunday August 14th at 2:00 in the afternoon.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday for their regular meeting. Stan Podorski from KSMO Radio congratulated all those 4-H and FFA members who had exhibits or were a part of the livestock show and record setting auction and thanked all the buyers in attendance for without them, the event would not be possible. In the road report, District I Commissioner Wes Mobray stated grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 2470, 4210 and 5380. He did say that brush would be cut on county roads 5015 and 5070 and two men were going to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal repair. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials were going to be added and grading done on Dent County Road 3300, while only grading would be done on county roads 2140, 2150, 2155 and 3310. Larson reported two men would be taking truck #116 to Jefferson City to Knapheide for hydraulic repair. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles talked with the commission about the rural volunteer fire departments and how they had been affected negatively by COVID. The commissioner discussed setting aside $40,000 in ARPA funds at $10,000 for each department, but the departments would have to apply to the MRPC to get the funds. Skiles also discussed with the commissioners how the county can now use Title III funds for 9-1-1 systems as well as wildfire training. He suggested they designate up to $135,000 in the Title III funds to pay for the improvements being made to the 9-1-1 system instead of using the ARPA funds which they had planned. By law, the county must publish a legal notice 45 days before the money is accessed on how the funds are to be used. The commissioners agreed and they will have a public notice in the Salem News in next Tuesday’s paper. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the August Primary is fast approaching. Absentee voting continues in her office until 5:00 on August 1st, the last day to mail out an absentee ballot is this Wednesday at 5:00, and voters will need to choose a specific party ballot when they vote between the Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or the Constitution Party. She also said her office will be open on Saturday, July 30th from 8:00 in the morning until noon for absentee voting. Dent County Assessor Jamie Homeyer said new plat books are being printed and she is taking ads. She said there are different prices for ads for the pages, and she is accepting bids for the ads for back of the front cover, and the front and back of the back cover starting at $501 and up. To get more information, call Homeyer at 729- 6010. When the books are completed, they will be available for $35 each, but you can preorder your books now for $30 each. Dent County Livestock Extension Specialist Eric Muesch talked with the commission about the current weather situation and now Dent County is now classified as D-1 as far as drought conditions are concerned. He said with the lack of precipitation being forecasted for the next ten days and possibly beyond, there will be a drought workshop the evening of August 11th at the Wurdack Farm Education Building with Gatlin Bunton. Another workshop will also be held in Pulaski County, but that date had yet to be determined. Jim Sample came in and was looking for information concerning his family cemetery off Dent County Road 5440. He said he wanted to make sure he did everything right and was asking Commissioner Mobray for assistance. Mobray said he would check with the prosecuting attorney for state statutes dealing with private family cemeteries and pass them on before Sample has the property surveyed. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident Sunday night at 10:30 in Phelps County on Route A about seven miles north of Rolla took the life of a Rolla man. According to the highway patrol report, a southbound 2009 Suzuki GSX 1300R motorcycle being operated by 34-year-old Ryan Jensen of Rolla, crossed the centerline and traveled off the left side of the roadway where Jensen was ejected from the motorcycle. Jensen was pronounced dead at the Phelps Health Hospital at 11:06 Sunday evening. He was wearing safety equipment at the time of the accident. His body was taken to the Null and Sons Funeral Home in Rolla. The motorcycle was totaled and removed from the scene by Ron Dishman’s Towing.

An accident occurred Monday afternoon at 12:05 in Dent County on Highway 19 south of Dent County Road 5520, about 13 miles south of Salem. According to the highway patrol report a 2011 Kia Sorento driven by 36-year-old Holly Stone of Salem, was travelling northbound and travelled off the right side of the roadway. The Kia then struck a sign and a tree. Holly Stone, suffered serious injuries and was flown by Air Evac to Mercy Springfield. A passenger in the Kia, 23-year-old Victoria Stone of Salem, suffered moderate injuries and was flown by Phelps Health Air to Mercy Springfield. The report goes on to say Holly Stone was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident, but Victoria Stone was. The Kia was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held a special board meeting Monday afternoon at the City Hall Council Chambers. At the meeting, the board approved allowing the mayor to execute contingency allocation #2 between the City of Salem and Energy Solutions Professionals, LLC. The total contingency for the project was just over $61,000 and the first allocation was for about $9,000. This one is for $18,603.00 for work at the Al Brown Fields. The board also approved Resolution #23-2022 to add the library’s main parking lot as well as the satellite parking lot to the City of Salem’s list of parking lots for snow removal. This was agreed for in exchange of a utility easement and will remain in effect as long as the Salem Public Library owns the property. The meeting was then adjourned.

According to a press release from the City of Salem, the City of Salem Board of Aldermen met in closed session pursuant Missouri Revised State Statutes on Monday, July 12th, and voted unanimously by a roll call vote not to renew city administrator Ray Walden’s employment agreement that is set to expire on August 31st, 2022. The mayor and board would like to thank Mr. Walden for his service to the city for the last nine years and wish him well in his future endeavors.

A fatal accident occurred Wednesday afternoon around 2:00 in Washington County on Gobbler’s Knob Road north of Skyview Drive. According to the highway patrol report, a 1998 Ford Ranger driven by 65-year-old Allen Arndt of Steelville, was traveling north bound when he travelled off the right side of the roadway. Arndt then overcorrected, re-entered the roadway, and lost control, then traveled off the right side of the roadway again. At that time, the front right of the Ford struck an embankment and the Ranger overturned onto its driver’s side. The bed of the truck struck a tree. Arndt was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:43 by the Washington County Coroner. The report goes on to state that he was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Elliott’s Towing.

The Pie and Pastry auction held Wednesday night as part of the 4-H and FFA Expo at the Commons in the Youth Building was well attended and raised over $16,000 in proceeds. The Dent County 4-H Clubs and Salem FFA Chapter thank everyone who attended and especially those who purchased items at the auction. They want to remind you that a number on incredible exhibits have been brought in by the children and are on display in the Youth Building during the Expo. Admission is free for the livestock show and the exhibits. A variety of food from local vendors is also available.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Stan Podorski from KSMO Media wanted to remind the public the 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction Saturday morning would carried live on KSMO Radio (AM 1340 and 95.7 FM) and streamed live by KSMO Media on ksmoradio.com, KSMO Stream Facebook Page and the KSMO YouTube page. Links to the any of the streams can be found on www.ksmoradio.com. In the road report, District 1 Road Supervisor Jason Akins filled in for Commissioner Wes Mobray who was at the 4-H/FFA Expo checking in animals. He reported ditch work would be done on Dent County Road 5600 and brush would be cut on Dent County Roads 5015 and 6580. He went on to say new blades were being put on tractor #8, service on pickup #73 would be finished and that crews installed a new culvert pipe through the old pipe opening under the bridge on Dent County Road 2400, then concreted it in. The crews would be removing the concrete forms from the site. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and repairs would be made to the low water crossing on Dent County Road 2330 while only materials would be added to county road 2240. Larson added brush would be cut on county roads 3233, 3235 and 3290. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said Governor Parson on June 29th signed Senate Bill 820 into law that says Missouri landowners will be compensated 150% of the fair market value of their property taken by eminent domain for the construction of power lines. This bill came into play due to the hard work of the members of the Missouri Association of Counties and the County Commissioners Association of Missouri and its lobbyists to protect property rights of the people they represent. This new statute was tied to the Green Belt Express electric project which is a massive transmission line meant to carry wind energy from southwest Kansas across three states toward the east. He also said he attended the Salem Chamber Luncheon where Marilyn Schweitzer gave a presentation on the Heroes Marathon which will be held on November 21st this year. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said absentee voting continues in her office and the last day to mail out an absentee ballot will be July 20th. Curley wants to remind everyone that campaigning cannot be done within 25-feet of a polling location. She also reported there is one person to address the Board of Equalization Monday at 1:00 in the afternoon at the courthouse. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident occurred Wednesday evening around 11:40 in Miller County on Mo 17 about a quarter mile south of Bonnie Drive. According to the highway patrol report a 2006 Chevrolet Colorado driven by 25-year-old Kaden Jordan of Rolla was travelling northbound crossed the center line, travelled off the left side of the roadway, continued a short distance before striking an embankment, causing the vehicle to go airborne. The Chevrolet then struck another embankment and then a culvert before coming to rest off the roadway. Kaden suffered minor injuries and was taken to Lake Regional Hospital by Ambulance. Kaden was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Chevrolet was totaled and removed from the scene by Hi Tech Towing.