Local News

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors held their meeting Tuesday evening, January 14th, Jeff Stokes took the Oath of Office to fill a board vacancy till the next scheduled election. The consent agenda and minutes from the previous meeting were reviewed and approved. The financial report was reviewed with an ending balance of $206, 908.38. All bills, payments, and statements were reviewed and approved. The budget was also approved. The monthly reimbursement report was presented with a total of 19 calls for the month and for the year. Eight of the calls were for various types of fires other calls included medical assists, accidents, and HazMat. In old business after a presentation and discussion by Tom Pisarkiewicz and Courtney Wegman a resolution calling for a special bond election to be held on Tuesday April 8th was voted for. Papers were signed with the bonding company and recorded. The tower lease with Fidelity/Sparklight was discussed and the check was signed for the 2023 – 2024 rent of the tower. There was no new business. In the Chief’s report Chief Floyd reported that the ladder truck was in St. Louis for repair. He also stated 4 people will be attending fire training school. Before adjourning the next meeting was set for Tuesday February 11th at 6:00 in the evening.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held a public meeting yesterday evening at 6:00 in the Old Auditorium to discuss the City’s submission of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for the storm warning system, City administrator Sally Burbridge read some questions she had received in advance from the community, and Chief of Police Joe Chase addressed many of them. The total cost of the project is estimated at $133,532 with a proposed contribution from the City of $27,500 in cash to be paid out of the Capital Improvement Funds and approximately $6,032 for in-kind work to be paid to the electrical crew. The new system from Whelen Mass Notification will replace the existing eight sirens around town with two siren systems strategically placed to cover more area, with the sound concentrated in the areas with the highest population. If this grant is awarded, and the new system is installed, the City plans to surplus and sell the old siren components to offset the cost and reduce the financial impact on the community. The Whelen system is an industry-leading system in emergency notification, and works on both high and low frequencies allowing sound to travel farther and be heard and felt indoors. 

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting on yesterday evening at 6:30 in the Old Auditorium. After approving the agenda and consent agenda, local business owner Scott Radford brought up an issue with his utility rates. After a brief explanation from City Administrator Sally Burbridge, and no further questions from the Board, the Board approved Resolution No. 1-2025 a resolution stating intent to seek funding through the Community Development Block Grant Program. The Board also approved Resolution 2-2025, authorizing the Mayor to execute a  Contract Change Order between Gray Construction LLC, The City of Salem, and James Headrick for property located at 102 South Washington, and Resolution 3-2025: a resolution between the City of Salem and the Meramec Regional Planning Commission allowing MRPC to administer the Community Development Block Grant Mitigation Program for the storm siren system if the City is awarded the grant funds. The administration fees of $10,000 will be paid from the grant if it is awarded. Mayor Parker recommended appointing Kala Sisco and Lauren Toman to the finance committee, and the Board approved. During the reports of city officials, Sally Burbridge stated she attended a FEMA meeting along with Public Works Director Steve Paine and Parks and Recreation Director Melissa DuBois. This was an informational meeting on how to go about submitting a formal request for reimbursement from the flooding that occurred in November 2024. She also stated that in order for sidewalk construction to continue downtown, there needs to be at least three days of warmer temperatures. Mayor Parker stated that the Salem Fireworks Committee is hosting a Trivia Night in February. For more information on that, citizens should call 573-247-7847. Public Works Director Steve Paine gave an update on the utility crews and reminded citizens to please try to keep their trash cans and vehicles off the streets to keep the area cleared for the snow plows. With no other reports, the meeting went into closed session before adjourning. 

The Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to remind the public that all driver examination stations throughout the state will be closed on Monday, January 20th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Normal operations will resume on Tuesday. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is hiring! The Patrol offers over 60 career paths. For current openings, visit bit.ly/MSHPCareers to apply today. For more news, follow the Missouri State Highway Patrol on X @MSHPTrooperGHQ, Facebook, and Instagram.

The City of Salem will be testing the storm sirens today at 10:00. If there is inclement weather the test will be postponed until Wednesday, the 22nd.

The ToRCH Community Leadership Board has awarded grants to local organizations. The ToRCH Community Leadership Board is proud to announce the awarding of 10 grants, totaling $240,000, to local community organizations. These grants are designed to address gaps in services within the community, particularly those stemming from capacity and resource constraints in smaller-scale operations. As part of the Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) pilot program, these grants will be used to resolve local challenges and enhance services to better meet the needs of residents. The program, which is a collaborative effort between Salem Memorial Hospital and MO HealthNet, seeks to improve health outcomes for Medicaid patients residing in six pilot counties. The initiative is focused on addressing upstream causes of poor health, such as social determinants of health, and integrating social care supports into clinical care to alleviate the impact of social challenges on health outcomes. Brooke Bollman, CEO of Salem Memorial Hospital, said we are thrilled to support these important local organizations that are making a direct impact on the well-being of our community. The funding will help expand services, reduce health disparities, and improve access to resources for our most vulnerable populations. The following local organizations have been awarded grants as part of this initiative: Aging Best was awarded $60,000 to provide transportation for local clients and deliver healthy meals. Healthy Dent County will receive $50,000 to purchase exercise machines for a new Circuit-style workout program. Dent County Health Center grant is for$40,000 to hire a Dietitian to support nutrition and wellness programs. Lifeway Center will be granted $32,000 to improve food storage and distribution services. Scenic Rivers Sheltered Workshop was awarded $26,000 to hire a Community Support Coordinator. Salem Area Community Betterment Association’s grant is for $17,000 to hire an Organization Coordinator to expand the Farmers’ Market SNAP benefits program. South Central Missouri Community Action Agency will receive $15,000 to enhance their Life Improvement and Family (LIFT) Training classes. These organizations, through their innovative programs and services, are playing a vital role in improving the health and quality of life for residents in the ToRCH pilot communities. The ToRCH Community Leadership Board, in partnership with MO HealthNet, remains committed to supporting local initiatives that address both immediate and long-term health challenges. The goal of the ToRCH program is to empower rural communities to create sustainable health improvements, fostering a healthier, more resilient population for years to come. A second round of funding for year 2 will be announced in the spring of 2025. For more information contact Tabitha Stanfast, Media Contact, Director of Quality Salem Memorial Hospital, Stanfast can also be reached via email at tstanfast@smdh.net.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors will hold their meeting this evening at 6:00 in the fire station located at #2 South Main Street. After call to order the oath of office will be taken by new board members, then roll call. After approval of the consent agenda they will review the minutes, go over the financial report, approve bills, then review the budget, and hear the monthly reimbursement report. In old business they will discuss the bond issue and tower lease. In new business they will hear the Chief’s report and set a date for the next meeting. The Board will go into closed session, if necessary, before adjourning.

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Monday morning at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said workers will be doing maintenance on a number of vehicles. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said workers are spreading salt and sand on county roads 2140 and 2150 as well as on other roads where they find slick spots. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he attended the MRPC and Phelps County Housing Authority meetings by zoom Thursday. He wants to remind Dent County citizens that the Phelps County Housing Authority is not taking any applications at this time for housing assistance. Larson said he and the other commissioners along with Dent County Emergency Director Derrick Marfitt would be attending a FEMA meeting in Waynesville today. Larson announced bids for diesel fuel were taken and Phil-Mart had the lowest bid at $2.45 per gallon. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the preliminary county budget will be available to the public after 10:00 this morning. You can pick up a copy at the clerk’s office or you can contact them, and they can e-mail you the budget. Call 729-4144 for more information. She also said tax entity certifications are due by January 28th in her office. Curley went on to say the courthouse would be closed on Monday, January 20th for Martin Luther King’s birthday. At the last meeting, Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk brought in her monthly totals for December and said the county collected $6,216,646.95. The commission approved and signed the contract for the maintenance of the ownership map and land transfers for the County Assessor’s office. This contract is from January 1st through December 31st for $700 per month to Justin Basham. The commissioners discussed the budget with numerous office holders and discussed putting 

out for bid the lawn care service as well as emergency snow and ice removal on sidewalks sometime this spring. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting will be open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s office released these reports for the first week of January. On Wednesday January 1st deputies took a report for a theft that occurred in the 400 block of County Road 5070. The victim, a 65-year-old Salem man, stated money had been taken from his wallet. 

The investigation is ongoing. The next day Thursday January 2nd  deputies responded to the 20000 block of E. Highway 32 for a reported burglary. The victim, a 50-year-old Boss man, advised suspect(s)  had broken into his residence and stolen numerous items. The investigation is ongoing. On the following day Friday January 3rd deputies responded to the 100 block of County Road 6680 for a wanted subject. The suspect, a 53-year-old Salem man, was arrested on a warrant and transported to the Dent County Jail. Then on Sunday January 5th deputies responded to the 600 block of County Road 2480 for a reported burglary. The victim, a 61-year-old Iowa man, advised suspect(s) had broken into his residence and stolen multiple items. Additional suspect information was gathered, and the investigation is ongoing. If you have any information on an ongoing investigation please contact the Sheriff’s office at 573-729-3241.

The Board of Directors of Salem Memorial District Hospital will conduct a special meeting this evening at 7:00. The meeting will take place in the Hospital Library and may be fully conducted and attended by telephone or other electronic means and the public may observe and attend any portion of the meeting not closed to the public pursuant to Chapter 610.021 RSMo. After roll call and approval of the agenda The board will hear public comments and presentations, speakers must sign -in and keep comments to 3 minutes. Then they will discuss old and new business. Any person that would like to attend by telephone or electronic means should contact the SMH Administration office at 573-729-6626 ext. 4005, to obtain access information.

An accident occurred Friday evening January 10th around 6:55 on Hwy 63 and County Road 5320. According to the highway patrol report a 2002 Suzuki XL7 driven by a 65-year-old Edgar Springs female was traveling southbound when the vehicle began to slide in the snow. The Suzuki travelled off the right side of the roadway and struck an embankment. The driver suffered minor injuries and was transported to Phelps Heath by Phelps Health EMS. She was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Suzuki sustained moderate damage and was towed by D&D.

Meramec Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) began accepting applications for its 2025 community grant making fund on December 15th and it will close on January 24th, 2025. MRCF will be awarding two $750 community grants. One grant will be made to a project that focuses on community or economic development efforts with emphasis being given to projects involving the celebration and promotion of the 100th anniversary of Route 66 and the other will assist at-risk children and/or low-income families. Any nonprofit, 501(c)3 organizations, schools, faith-based organizations and governmental entities looking to address these needs are encouraged to apply. Organizations and governmental entities must be based in the Meramec Region – Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties – to qualify. 2012 marked the inaugural year for the grant program, and in the last 12 years $18,500 in grant funds have been awarded to 66 community projects throughout the region. A portion of the fund’s earnings are distributed each year through grants. Applications for the 2025 grant round will be accepted online only until 5:00 January 24th, 2025. Online applications may be found and submitted by searching Meramec Regional Community Foundation at www.grantinterface.com/Process/Apply?urlkey=cfozarksgrants. For more information on the grant opportunity, contact Bonnie Prigge at bprigge@meramecregion.org or 573-265-2993. MRCF is an outgrowth of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and is an affiliate of Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) in Springfield. The regional affiliate was formed in 2010 and has distributed over $1.6 million to support the region. Persons needing more information on MRCF and its philanthropy efforts can contact Bonnie Prigge. To learn more about MRCF, visit www.cfozarks.org/affiliates. To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/meramecregion/.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning at the courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported on the sales tax received this month. The General Revenue Fund and Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund each received $92,864.40 which is less than the $98,823.98 received in January of 2024. The Road and Bridge Fund received $43,671.90, and that is down from January 2024 receipt of $45,679.68. The Dent County Jail Operating and Trust funds each received $87,764.88 compared to $91,781.07 received in January of 2024. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green and District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Willams both said crews were still doing snow removal and treating slick spots on the county gravel roads as well as removing limbs and trees that have fallen across the roads or are hanging low in the roads. Green said he has a truck down that will need to go Knapheide, and Williams also has a truck down that needs repair. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson suggested adding Ed Pratt to the Tourism Tax Committee and that appointment was approved by all the commissioners. Larson attended the Phelps County HUD meeting and MRPC meeting by Zoom Thursday. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that all tax entities will need to have their election certification to the county clerk’s office by 5:00 on January 28th. She said the county continues to work on the 2025 budget and said a tentative budget would be ready for the public by Monday, January 13th at 10:00 in her office. The final county budget hearing will be held at 10:00 in the morning on January 23rd in the commissioners office in the courthouse which will be open to the public. Curley also she balanced with the collector and assessor for the month of December on all abatements, add-ons, and collections. She also balanced with the treasurer on all accounts for the month of December. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows deer hunters harvested 10,089 deer during the alternative method portion of deer season, December 28th through January 7th. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 223 deer harvested, Pike with 209, and Macon with 207 deer taken. In our area, Texas County had 110 deer taken, the Crawford County harvest was 109, Dent County harvested 98 deer, Shannon County had 71 deer harvested, Phelps County had 66 deer harvested, Reynolds County had 51 deer taken and Iron County had 47 deer harvested. This year’s harvest total was down from last years alternative methods by 2,407. Archery deer hunting continues through January 15th. For current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county, and type of deer, or for more information, visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov

The Creative Arts Center in Salem will hold a beginner Friendly Cell Phone Crossbody Pouch Sewing Class on Saturday, January 18th from 9:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon with Gail Phelan that includes a break for lunch. This is a great beginner project for those who are interested in learning the art of making bags. Bring your own sewing machine. Students should know how to operate their machine. All fabric, hardware, zips and webbing will be provided as well as basic tools for your use in the class. Feel free to bring any favorite markers, clips, etc. The class is open to all those 18 and older. There must at least two people sign up to hold the class and it will be limited to four. To sign up, go to the SACBA website, click on “Programs” link and then on the Creative Arts Center.

According to the City of Salem’s Facebook Page the City of Salem Administration Office has been receiving reports from local businesses that they are getting emails from what appear to be local officials asking for passwords. The City of Salem wants residents and businesses to know that they would never ask for your password information in an email. They advise the public to be cautious about opening suspicions emails and it is often best to delete suspicious messages without opening them as they could contain viruses. If you have any questions you can contact the City of Salem at 573-729-4811.

The City of Salem will hold a public hearing on Tuesday evening, January 14th at 6:00 at the Old City Hall Auditorium located at 202 North Washington St. to discuss the city’s submission of the Community Development Block Grant Program Mitigation application for a new storm warning siren system. The city is interested in obtaining all citizens’ input on community development needs within the city. The city needs as much local participation as possible in order to reflect the true desires of the community as a whole, as well as the comments relating to the proposed project application. The State has established a maximum application request for each funding category. Activities that are eligible for funding include the improvement of public works, public facilities, housing rehabilitation, and others allowed by law. At least 51% of the funds must be used to benefit low-and-moderate income persons. No displacement of persons will be proposed. The city is proposing to upgrade the emergency siren system by replacing the eight existing sirens with two new sirens that provide community-wide coverage using the latest technology. The total project cost is estimated at approximately $133,532. The city proposes to contribute $27,500 in cash and approximately $6,032 in in-kind work, with CDBG grant funds of $100,000 needed to make up the balance. All citizens are encouraged to attend in order to comment on the proposed activities. For more information, contact City Administrator Sally Burbridge at 573-729-4811 or by email at cityadminstrator@salemmo.com. If you need special accommodations to attend the public hearing, including LEP assistance, please contact the City Administration office by Friday afternoon, January 10th by 2:00. The meeting will be held at an accessible location and the city will make every effort possible to provide reasonable accommodation.

The Healthy Dent County Fitness Center will again offer their Line Dancing classes again this year Tuesday nights throughout the month of February at 6:30 at the Salem Community Center @ The Armory. The cost to attend is $5.00 and just pay at the door. The class instructor is Rosalie Wright. For more information call 739-1127 or e-mail susie@salemcommunitycenter.org. 

The Dent County Health Center is providing warming items for those in need with winter coats, gloves, mittens, hats and NEW socks. They will continue to provide the service this year, but right now they are in need of support from Salem and Dent County to replenish their stock. If you would like to help restock the items people have already picked up, you can donate gloves, mittens, all sizes of hats, new socks and blankets. For more information, to donate items or to make monetary donations for staff to purchase items for the warming center at the Dent County Health Center, or if you need someone to pick up your donations, feel free to call them at 729-3106 or stop by the Dent County Health Center on Highway 32-72 East. 

On Friday night, January 17th from 5:00 until 8:00 at the Creative Arts Center, students can learn to make Chunky Knit Blanket with Danielle Kissir. Learn how to finger knit a chunky blanket. This is a beginners class and open to those 10 years of age and older. The cost of the class is $75 with supplies included. There must at least five people sign up to hold the class. To sign up, go to the SACBA website, click on “Programs” link and then on Creative Arts Center.

Dent County is accepting applications for opioid remediation projects through its Opioid Settlement funding. Businesses, not-for-profit organizations and tax entities serving Dent County are eligible to apply. Applications are due January 15th, 2025. These funds come from a joint effort to hold accountable those companies that have contributed to the opioid epidemic across the nation. In 2020, the Missouri General Assembly established the Opioid Addiction Treatment and Recovery Fund to receive settlement payments. In 2021, the state received its initial settlement payment. As of January 2024, settlements continue to be negotiated and finalized by the state and the political subdivisions that signed on to the lawsuit. Dent County is one of 106 counties participating in the opioid lawsuit. For a project to be eligible for funding, it should be listed on the Exhibit E, Schedule B of the Missouri Department of Mental Health’s Approved Uses for Opioid Remediation, located at https://moopioidsettlements.dmh.mo.gov/Resources/AllowableUses. Dent County has funding priorities in the areas of transportation, child and family support services, housing, prevention education, reentry services, support groups, law enforcement and first responders, treatment court and community support services. Those interested in applying can receive an application by contacting the Dent County Opioid Fund Disbursement Board Chairman Lieutenant Rick Letchworth at 573-729-3241 or rickletchworth@dentcountysheriff.org. Letchworth will collect proposals and review projects for completeness to ensure that activities proposed are eligible and will then submit all projects to the Dent County Commission, along with its administrative review information, for the county to make funding decisions and disburse funds at the January 30th, 2025, Dent County Opioid Fund Disbursement Board meeting. The board is asking that applicants attend that meeting to present their proposals. MRPC assisted the commission with developing its application and process and will assist the county by ensuring selected projects are eligible expenditures under opioid settlements. MRPC will also be helping to secure required documentation and reporting. To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.

The Creative Arts Center in Salem will hold a “Painting the Landscape with Oils” Workshop with Lee Copen on Wednesday, January 15th from 9:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon with a break for lunch. Students will learn about oil painting techniques and processes, including mixing the correct values and colors with a limited palette and will work from the provided photo. Materials provided include a 9×12 or similar size canvas panel, oil paintings brushes, oil paint, turpentine, palette paper and oil painting medium. This workshop is for beginner through advanced students. The class is open to those 13 years of age and older. The cost of the class is $75. There must be four people sign up to hold the class and it will be limited to 12. To sign up, go to the SACBA website, click on “Programs” link and then on the Creative Arts Center.

The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks blood drive originally scheduled to be at the First Baptist Church in Salem today, has been moved to the Salem Memorial Hospital, 35629 Highway 72, Salem. Located in the bloodmobile in the hospital parking lot. Hours will be from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. To help avoid wait times, appointments are strongly encouraged. Donors can schedule an appointment at www.cbco.org/donate-blood or by calling 417-227-5006.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department wants to inform our community about a recent scam that has come to their attention. They have received reports of a caller claiming to be associated with the Dent County Sheriff’s Office, stating that there is a warrant out for your arrest. This scammer is using advanced AI technology to generate a voice that mimics our Sheriff, making the call seem legitimate. Please remember that NO ONE from the Dent County Sheriff’s Office will ever call you regarding a warrant. Also, they will NEVER call you and ask you to make payments using gift cards. If you receive a call like this, do not engage with the caller and do not send any payments. Instead, hang up and report the incident to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office or the Salem Police Department. The sheriff’s department number is 573-729-3241 and the Salem Police Department’s number is 573-729-6550. Be aware, and stay safe and vigilant in the new year.

A “Moose’in Around” Kids Paint Party wll be held Friday evening, January 10th from 5:30 to 7:00 with Danielle Norris at the Creative Arts Center. Come and paint a cute moose for some winter time fun! The cost of the class is $20 for adults and $10 for children and all supplies are included. There must be six people sign up to hold the class and it will be limited at 25. All ages are allowed with a guardian present. Also on Monday, January 13th you can attend a Beginner Friendly Crochet Beanie workshop to be held in the evening from, 5:30 to 8:00 with Gail Phelan at the Creative Arts Center. Be sure to bring your favorite hooks and scissors. All other supplies will be provided. You should already be comfortable crocheting chains and single crochet. They will make a basic beanie, talk about how to read a pattern, learn how to crochet in the round and how to customize size. The cost of the program is $30. All ages are welcome as long as they know basic crochet. There must be at least two people sign up to hold the class and it will be limited to six. To sign up for either class, go to the SACBA website, click on “Programs” link and then on the Creative Arts Center.

On Friday, January 3rd, Governor Mike Parson filled a vacancy in the Crawford County Clerk’s Office. Kimberly Gibbs of Steelville was appointed as the Crawford County Clerk. Ms. Gibbs currently serves as a substitute teacher for the Steelville R-3 School District and previously served as a full-time teacher for the district. She further serves as a Crawford County Farm Bureau board member and as vice chair of the Crawford County University Extension. Ms. Gibbs holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Missouri State University.

The Dent County Sheriff’s office released some reports for December. On Sunday December 15th deputies responded to the 18000 block of Highway C for a reported burglary at the Lenox Fire Department. The reporting party, a 60-year-old Salem man, advised entry was forced into the building and multiple items were stolen. The case remains active. Then on Wednesday December 18th deputies took a report for a theft that occurred in the 100 block of County Road 6245. The victim, a 40-year-old Salem woman, advised multiple kayaks were stolen from her property.  The next week on Monday December 23rd deputies responded to the 8000 block of N. Highway 19 for a reported disturbance. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that a 52-year-old Salem woman was injured during a physical confrontation with a 33-year-old Salem woman.  On Christmas eve December 24th deputies responded to the 2000 block of County Road 6210 for a reported domestic assault. The victim, a 38-year-old Jadwin woman, advised she was physically assaulted by her estranged paramour, a 41-year-old Jadwin man. The investigation is ongoing. if you have any information on an ongoing investigation please call the Sheriff’s office at 573-729-3241. 

The Salem Board of Aldermen held a special meeting of the Board Thursday evening at 5:30. After approving the agenda, the Board listened to the first and second reading of Bill Number 3636, an ordinance that would approve the Change Order #2 for the City Sidewalk TAP Grant project. This Change Order will be an increase to the City’s expenditures, with no match from MoDOT, in the amount of $10,807.00. This will be the cost to tear out and replace the heated sidewalk areas from Main to Washington Street on the south side of the road. The replacement portion from the original plans was for the apron only, but this change order also moves the snow-melt systems into the ADA-compliant sidewalk as well. The original total for the project from prior years funds was $73,409.84. With the two new change orders adding $1,943 from Change Order #1, and $10,807.00 from Change Order #2, the total cost from prior year’s funds would be $86,159.84. After approving Bill  Number 3636, the meeting adjourned.

Many people used their credit devices over the holidays for shopping and other everyday uses, but that opens the door for scammers to be able target innocent consumers like you. In a world of Artificial Intelligence, we can no longer immediately believe something even if we see or hear it. If something out of the ordinary comes up, don’t be afraid to say you are going to verify this with your company. Don’t be bullied! Just stop, hang up and call the company. Another rule of thumb is that anyone is asking for your payment card is up to no good. As a rule, never give your card to anyone, even if the card has been cut up, because it can still be used if the chip is intact. Trending scams show that scammers are now capable of taking personal devices and authorizing payments from people’s phones. Make sure your apps have multi-factor authentication like biometrics and one-time-passcodes required to access and transact. Investing can be exciting, but don’t let yourself get caught up in promises of fast returns. Counterfeit investment apps and digital currencies that require you to pay unexpected fees are an active threat. If someone emails or texts you a link to download an app, don’t click on it because it may take you to a site that looks like the real thing but is fake. Instead, go to the app store and download it from there. Before investing, do your research and make sure the investment platforms are secure. Certain information, such as card and account numbers, online credentials, etc. should be shared with extreme caution. Never share information that can be used in a security question anywhere. Stay vigilant to protect your accounts and make 2025 a great year!

The Dent County Commission met for the first time in 2025 at the courthouse and Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson welcomed in new road commissioners Keith Green for District 1 and Jimmy Williams for District 2. In their first road report, Green said District 1 crews were grading Dent County Roads 4220 and 6460, and were also getting the equipment ready for the possibility of a winter storm this weekend. Williams said District 2 crews were adding rock to and grading Dent County Road 3260, while only grading was being done on county road 5240. Williams said rock would also be added to county road 2570. Williams said the county took fuel bids for regular unleaded gas and the low bid went to County Fuels. He also said that he, Commissioner Green and newly elected assessor Alisa Brookshire all attended the MAC training for newly elected county officials. He said the training was very informative. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported filing has ended for the April Municipal Election and all tax entities will need to have their election certification to the county clerk’s office by 5:00 on January 28th. She said the county continues to work on the 2025 budget and said a tentative budget would be ready for the public by Monday, January 13th at 10:00 in her office. The final county budget hearing will be held at 10:00 in the morning on January 23rd in the commissioners’ office in the courthouse which will be open to the public. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, provided the following preliminary statistics related to the New Year’s holiday. The 2025 New Year’s holiday counting period began at 6:00 Tuesday evening, December 31st, 2024, and ended at 11:59 Wednesday night, January 1st, 2025. The 2025 New Year’s Holiday Traffic Statistics showed that Troopers investigated 44 Traffic Crashes, resulting in 21 Traffic Crash Injuries and there were no Traffic Crash Fatalities. Troopers made 50 DWI arrests. There were no boating crashes and no drownings over the 2025 New Year’s holiday counting period. The fatality statistics in this news release could change if late deaths occur, or if other departments report fatal traffic crashes after this news release is sent to the media. Follow the Missouri State Highway Patrol on X @MSHPTrooperGHQ.

The Creative Arts Center will hold a Sunday Crafting starting this Sunday and held every Sunday through January 26th from 2:00 until 6:00 with Nicole Curtis. Bring your supplies to the Creative Arts Center and hang out, spending time with other crafty people. You do have to have all your own supplies and only the front room and bathrooms will be available. The class is open to all those 16 years of age and older with a suggestion donation of $5.00 that goes towards utilities. No children without an adult please.