Local News

Brandon Semenuk along with co-driver Keaton Williams overcame a 52.2 second deficit with two stages left with help from mother nature and claimed 1st place in the 100 Acre Wood Rally as the leader Ken Block hit a deer in the final stage that cost him over a minute of time. Block led the majority of the second round and looked to be in total command on his way to his eighth 100 Acre in the Woods win until the deer strike. Block and co-driver Alessandro Gelsomino finished with a close second, just 16 seconds behind Semenuk. Barry McKenna came in third and Travis Pastrana followed up in 4th.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met Thursday evening at the R-80 District Administrative Office Boardroom. After the consent agenda was approved, Salem R-80 Construction Trade Program Instructor AJ Tinker introduced high school students Justin Arthur and Joseph McCarter who discussed the Construction Trades District Contest. Then teachers Amber Pryor and Bryson Barnes introduced high school students Denise Stoner, Administrative Office Boardroom. After the District Contest. Then teachers Amber Pryor and Bryson Barnes introduced high school students Denise Stoner, Sierra Rusco, Liberty Ross who discussed the FBLA District Contest. Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed gave a building project update from ESP where they said the construction work should be done by August. She also said she was working on the budget and trying to find ways to transfer more monies to Fund 4 beyond the annual maximum transfer. She also said she is working on the tuition rate for the upcoming year. Reed said she would like the board to consider changing the method of billing from attendance to enrollment hours. She will bring the details to the April meeting. After the building principals gave their reports, the board approved to declare the 1990 Dodge Ram one-half ton truck and a 2010 International Max 4 bus as surplus. Neither are operational. The board approved setting the summer school dates from May 23rd through June 10th, and approved the revised SRCSP that basically removes the removal of masks for food service staff and elementary classes no longer having to cohort. The board awarded the new gym floor 10-year sponsorship to the Bank of Salem for $40,000 over other bids by Progressive Ozark Bank and Town and Country Bank. The board approved setting the reorganization date for April 19th at 5:45 with the regular board meeting to follow. The board approved going with OPAA Food Management Services for food service for the next school year starting on May 31st in summer school to get in some training for the next year. They will be using the current staff as well as OPAA management teams to bring Salem workers up their standards. OPAA projects they will be able to have a $202,000 surplus in the food service department of by using their buying power and waivers. The board then discussed three options for the secondary usage of the FEMA Safe Room for the grant application to be submitted this year. The options including a Performing Arts Center, Multipurpose area or a classroom design. After a detailed description of each option and a lengthy discussion, the board decided to go with the classroom option that will 11,000 square foot building that will cost $4,480,000 with the Salem R-80 portion of that being $1,120,000. The school will also have to pay for the internal construction as well as needed accessories like desks and more comes to $504,000 which come to a total of $1,624,000 that must come from Salem R-80’s Fund 4. The board approved the resignations of Lisa Jadwin as the ECSE teacher; Tina McKee as middle school English language arts teacher; Kristal Mihlfeld as the upper elementary special education; Jake Reardon as the high school credit recovery instructor as well as head girls’ basketball and assistant boys baseball coach; Nick Frillman as a high school social studies teacher and assistant girls’ basketball coach; Steven Taylor as a high school counselor; Brian McNamee as a high school track coach; Jerry Adkins as the middle schoolgirls’ basketball and 9th grade boys’ basketball coach; Bessie Sanders as a high school science instructor; and Darcy Reardon as a high school assistant track and assistant softball coach. The board then went into closed session.

Airport Board President Tyler Naramore has called a meeting of the Airport Board of the City of Salem for this evening at 6:30 in the City Hall Council Chambers on 202 North Washington Street. After approval of the minutes from the January meeting. The board will be updated on the fuel pump and tanks, construction of new hangers, the gate opener, and runway lights. The board will discuss the compliance of the hanger lease agreement related to airworthiness of aircraft stored in hangers and the hanger waiting list. They will also discuss adding new language about airplanes being stored in the hangars based out of the Salem Airport to the agreement to help with funding issues. The meeting tonight is open to the public.

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was not in attendance as he was in Springfield meeting with CCAM Attorney Travis Elliot and Missouri Department of Revenue representatives. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed District One Commissioner Wes Mobray as acting Presiding Commissioner. John McIntyre was in representing Adams Subdivision residents and requested the county check in to professional engineering services to solve the drainage problem in the subdivision. Mobray said he would check with Great Rivers Engineering and let him know what he learns. In the road report Mobray stated that materials would be added, and grading done on Dent County Roads 2400, 4100, and 4090, while only grading would be done on county road 5630. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson said that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2240, 2270, 2303, 2200, 2370, 2190, 4283, and 4350, while materials would be added to county roads 3330 and 4283. He went on to say that Truck #116 was having brake work done and that Tractor #9 was being moved and checked for damage from vandalism. Larson and Mobray agreed that the weather this week has made it possible for lots of grading and roadwork to be accomplished. Curley reported that absentee voting continues and that the last day to mail out an absentee ballot is Wednesday, March 23rd. She also said voting continues in her office through April 4th. Curley noted that the auditors would be in to meet with the commissioners as they start the regular four-year audit. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Missouri Department of Conservation invites the public to an open house at the George O. White State Forest Nursery on Saturday, March 26th, with tours by appointment from 9:00 in the morning until 2:00 that afternoon. The nursery is located at 14027 Shafer Road, just north of Licking. The tours will take guests behind the scenes through the seedling beds, sorting room, cold storage room, and more. Guests can also learn about Missouri’s native trees and plants, enjoy fishing at the nursery lake, meet Smokey Bear, watch a full-scale sawmill demonstration, and chat with Missouri’s conservation experts. Free hot dogs, chips, and cookies will be served throughout the day. To reserve a tour time, call the nursery at (573) 674-3229. The Missouri Department of Conservation’s state forest nursery offers a variety of low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, wildlife food and cover, and other purposes. The nursery provides mainly one-year-old bare-root seedlings with sizes varying by species. Orders are accepted through April 15, and supplies are limited. Find order information online at mdc.mo.gov/seedlings or pick up an order form at MDC regional offices and nature centers.

Fishing and Fish Fry is part of the Women’s Outdoors Program at the lower lake at the Current River State Park on Monday, April 4th. During the class women will learn to fish, clean your fish and cook it. The class is taught by women for women. You must be at least 16 years old to attend. Women outdoor classes will be held the second Thursday of every month April – September. For more information or to register, contact Connie Weber at 573-751-1224 or email her at connie.weber@dnr.mo.gov.

The Salem Area Arts Council is offering an epoxy resin class with Amanda Rose on Sunday afternoon from 1:00 until 3:00 at the Creative Arts Center. Come create a decorative floral vase filled with epoxy resin and a variety of colored stones, glass, rock and other items of your choosing during this two-hour class. All the supplies and safety equipment for the class is provided and the cost is $25. For more info or to register, call 247-0651 or 247-5306 you can e-mail salemartscouncil@outlook.com.

The Missouri Chapter of Girl Camper is hosting a 4-day event for camping newbies, covering the basic skills for tent camping including tent set up, fire building, camp cooking, costs, and much more from April 7th through April 10th at Meramec State Park in Sullivan. This is also an outstanding opportunity to meet other women in a safe, fun and encouraging environment. Teresa Willis a camping expert and Girl Camper Chapter Guide will be host the event. The cost of the program is $125 and includes a tent site, all meals, snacks, morning coffee and group activities. Tent rental is for available for $40. All attendees must go through a vetting process at www.GirlCamper.com/events to ensure the safety and privacy of the attendees. For more on this event or camping expertise for future features contact: Teresa Willis at teresaw@girlcamper.com or 314-319-1533.

This year’s 100-Acre in the Wood Rally will start off Friday in Washington County and continue Saturday in Dent County only. An updated total of 91 entries as of Thursday morning will compete this year in one of the most popular venues on the road rally tour. Back on the tour will be local favorite Ken Block, the winningest driver in 100-Acre Wood Rally history, as well Travis Pastrana, Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell, professional skateboardist Bucky Lasek, past ARA National Champion Barry McKenna, X-Games mountain bike medalist Brandon Semenuk, and the CEO of Fieldcraft Survival Mike Glover. The City of Potosi will kick off the event Friday at 12:30 with their Parc Expose followed by two spectator points at Stage 2 around 2:40, and Stage 5 around 5:50. On Saturday, the Rally moves to Dent County where the Parc Expose on 4th Street in Salem will start at 9:00 giving fans another opportunity to see their favorite teams up close before the Rally begins at 10:00. Saturday also provides spectators six opportunities to see the cars on course at full speed starting at Stage 7 at 10:45 Saturday morning as well as afternoon locations starting at Stage 9 at 1:15, Stage 10 at 2:00, Stage 11 at 4:15, Stage 12 at 5:00 and Stage 13 at 6:00. Maps on the locations of the spectator points are available at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce in the Crossroads Shopping Center and they are free. The 100AW organizers would like to remind all rally participants and spectators that Missouri’s “No Trespassing” Laws and “Purple Paint” Statute are still in effect during the rally and are asking everyone to watch for those signs and purple paint on trees, etc. Please respect all property owners by avoiding private property and if a landowner does not want you to spectate on their land, please move to a new location.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced Wednesday that Rodney G. Durbin, who owned and operated “Honey Do’s Handy Service,” from Belle, Missouri, has been charged with consumer fraud and, on account of those charges, has been arrested. Durbin faces nine counts in Maries County for defrauding consumers and financially exploiting elderly Missourians. The charges in Maries County allege that Durbin falsely promised consumers that he would provide construction and moving services in exchange for upfront payments. However, once paid, Durbin only performed a minimal amount of work before abandoning the projects and refusing to issue refunds. On three occasions, the victims of this fraud were elderly. The prosecution of Rodney G. Durbin is being jointly conducted by the Missouri Attorney General and the Maries County Prosecuting Attorney Richard Skouby. Missourians who believe they may have been scammed by Durbin or any other contractor should file a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office by calling the Consumer Protection hotline at 800-392-8222 or submitting a complaint online at ago.mo.gov. As always, all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and criminal charges are not evidence of a crime.

Spring into Spring! Visit the Ozark National Scenic Riverways for a guided hike on the Cave Spring Trail near Devils Well on Saturday at 9:00. Join a ranger to discover the early signs of Spring along the upper Current River with a 5-mile hike that begins at Devils Well. Look for the first blooming trees and wildflowers of the year, seasonal fungi, birds, and wildlife becoming active. Listen for gobbling turkeys early in the day and learn some of the natural and cultural history of the area. The hike will lead to Cave Spring on the upper Current River and then return to Devils Well following a loop trail. Participants are encouraged to wear appropriate clothing and footwear and bring plenty of water and snacks. The hike is considered moderate to difficulty. For more information, contact Skyler Bockman at skyler_bockman@nps.gov or (573) 323-4905. The trailhead for the Cave Spring Trail is located at Devils Well in northern Shannon County. From Highway 19, travel 2 miles west on State Highway KK, then one mile south on Devils Well Road. For more information about upcoming park events, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/ozar.

The William Lynch Elementary School will be holding Kindergarten registration for the 2022-23 school year on March 22nd from 11:30 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening, and March 24th from 8:30 in the morning until 2:30 in the afternoon. If you can’t make the first two registrations, another registration will be held May 16th from 8:30 in the morning until 2:30 in the afternoon. Kindergarten students MUST be five years old by July 31st. Information you will need for kindergarten registration will be a proof of residency, your child’s immunization shot records and their birth certificate. Appointments are recommended. Please call 729-6611 to make your appointment or for any questions you may have.

The Salem Area Community Betterment Association, better known as SACBA, is bringing back their Gift of Time volunteer awards to recognize volunteers who have made a significant contribution to Salem and Dent County. Individuals or organizations who have volunteered or made a significant impact for our community from 2020-2021 are eligible. Nomination Forms are available at: The City of Salem Administrative Office, Chamber of Commerce, Salem Public Library, Healthy Dent County/Salem Community Center, Bank of Salem, and Steelman Abstract & Title Company. Nominations must be submitted by March 31st, 2022. This year’s nomination categories are: Education & Youth, Community Enhancement or Preservation, Arts & Culture, Humanitarian and Outstanding Youth Volunteer for those who are 18 and under. Only one category nomination per submission may be accepted. You can submit separate nominations if nominating a nominee for more than one category. Please refer to the Nomination Form for additional eligibility information and nominee questionnaire. In addition to the form locations, nominations may also be emailed to “sacba@salemmo.com”, or mailed to Salem Area Community Betterment Association, P.O. Box 732, Salem, MO 65560. An awards banquet to honor category winners, as well as an Open House at the SACBA complex at 200 S. Main St., will be held in May. For more information or for nomination questions, send an email to sacba@salemmo.com, or message on Facebook @SalemAreaCommunityBettermentAssociation. As always, SACBA values the support of the community, and looks forward to honoring those who support our community.

The Salem Police Department has released a number of reports for February. On Monday February 7th at around 2:00 in the morning, officers were dispatched to the 100 block of South Carty for a report of gunshots being fired into a residence. It was reported that someone had drove by the residence and fired shots at the residence. The scene was processed, and evidence was obtained, and the incident is still under investigation. Later that same afternoon around 4:00 officers took a report of an assault that had occurred at the Cedar Grove cemetery. It was reported that two men had a disagreement and one of the men assaulted the other. As a result, a 63-year-old Salem man was arrested and later released on a summons to appear in court. Then at around 7:00 during the evening of Thursday February 10th, an officer arrested 25-year-old Michael Shaw of Salem for an outstanding warrant out of Dent County. Shaw was incarcerated at the Dent County jail. On Sunday evening February 13th near 8:00 officers were dispatched to the 100 block of North Pershing for a report of a subject that had unlawfully entered a residence. It was reported that a man had entered the residence and when the homeowners located the man, he was held at gunpoint until officers arrived. As a result, a 39-year-old Salem man was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. During the afternoon of Wednesday February 16th at around 1:00 an officer arrested 43-year-old Robert Nussbickel of Salem for an outstanding arrest warrant out of Crawford County. Nussbickel was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail awaiting extradition. At around 1:00 on the afternoon of Saturday, February 10th, an officer arrested 33-year-old Elvis Meadows of Salem for 2 warrants out of Dent County. Meadows was incarcerated in the Dent County Jail. Then finally at around noon on Tuesday February 22nd, officers arrested 41-year-old Heather Onkle of Salem for warrants for her arrest out of Jefferson County. Onkle was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail awaiting extradition. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be holding their regular meeting Thursday evening at 6:00 at the Salem R-80 Administration Board Room. After approval of the consent agenda, Chris Salzman and Doug Adams will give an ESP building project update. Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed will then give her report to the board on the budget and rural school tuition followed by the principals’ reports from William Lynch Elementary, the upper elementary, middle school and senior high as well as the activities and athletics report. In new business, the board will declare two vehicles for surplus that include a 1990 Dodge Ram half-ton truck and a 2010 International Max 4 bus. The board will discuss approving for all employees one-step up on the salary schedule for the 2022-2023 school year, go over the revisions of the SRCSP, set summer school dates, and determine a secondary usage of FEMA safe room for grant application. Also in new business, the board will consider Food Service Management bids for the 2022-23 school year, consider submitted gym floor advertisement bids, and set a date for the reorganization meeting following the Municipal Election on April 5th. The board will hear any resignations before voting to go into executive session to discuss personnel. The meeting of the Salem R-80 Board of Education Thursday night at 6:00 is open to the public.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. Grant Wilson from the Congressman Jason Smith’s Rolla office was in attendance. He told the commission Smith voted “No” on the Consolidation Appropriations Act, better known as H.R. 2471, that came in at 1.5 trillion dollars. Smith voted against the bill because nothing in it would benefit the people of the 8th District. He also wanted to let the commission know that Smith will not run for the Senate and stay in the House where he is on the Ways and Means Committee. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk presented the commission with the Collector’s Annual Settlement form for her year which runs from March 1st through February 28th. This report was for collections in 2021. In the report, collections came in at $8,799,537.38 with an additional $679,848.52 in delinquent payments and another $41,802.34 in abatements. Major distributions noted on the report were $5,722,025.54 to schools, $721,645.21 to the county for General Revenue and Road and Bridge, and $443,987.66 for the hospital. She said there was an increase in collections from 2020 of $392,148.37. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County 5650 while only grading would be done on county road 6500. Mobray said brush would be cut on Dent County Road 2440. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson indicated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2590, 2610, 3120, 3180 and 5240 while only grading would be done on county roads 3190, 4370 and 5280. Larson also said it was time to put out bids for grader blades and the commission agreed to accept bids until 10:00 on March 28th. Bids will be opened after that time in the regular meeting. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended the TAC meeting last Thursday and reported the district engineer said they are scoping the Route TT area in Sligo for a new bridge over Crooked Creek. At the MRPC meeting, the group met with federal and state legislators or their representatives. He said on Friday all the commissioners attended the South Central Missouri County Commissioners Association in Houston, Missouri; and also attended the FFA Labor and Pie Auction Friday night. Skiles said he will be meeting with Attorney Travis Elliott either Wednesday or Thursday along with Department of Revenue representatives to work on a solution to the sales tax debacle by the state. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said absentee voting continues in her office at the courthouse for the April 5th Municipal Election. She said the state auditors will arrive this week to start their performance audit which is due every four years. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced Wednesday that Rodney G. Durbin, who owned and operated “Honey Do’s Handy Service,” from Belle, Missouri, has been charged with consumer fraud and, on account of those charges, has been arrested. Durbin faces nine counts in Maries County for defrauding consumers and financially exploiting elderly Missourians. The charges allege Durbin falsely promised consumers that he would provide construction and moving services in exchange for upfront payments. However, once paid, Durbin only performed a minimal amount of work before abandoning the projects and refusing to issue refunds. On three occasions, the victims of this fraud were elderly. The prosecution of Durbin is being jointly conducted by the Missouri Attorney General and the Maries County Prosecuting Attorney Richard Skouby. Missourians who believe they may have been scammed by a contractor should file a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office by calling the Consumer Protection hotline at 800-392-8222 or online at ago.mo.gov.

An accident occurred Sunday evening around 10:30 in Maries County on Highway 68 about five miles west of St. James. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Chrysler Seabring driven by 62-year-old Kenneth Allen of Rolla, was travelling westbound and travelled off the right side of the roadway and struck a ditch. Allen suffered minor injuries and was transported by St. James Ambulance to Phelps Health. He was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Chrysler sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing.

The Healthy Dent County Fitness Center will be offering Two-Step dance classes every Tuesday evening at 6:30 in March at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. The Two-Step Dance will be taught tonight & March 22nd with a combination Two-Step and Swing dance night to be held March 29th. The instructor will be Rosalie Wright and the cost is $10 per couple at the door. Call 739-1127 for more information.

Learn to weave scarves and sashes without a loom, as the American Indians who lived in this area did. Learn from instructor Susan Wilson who has over 30 years’ experience with finger weaving. The workshop will be tonight from 5:30 until 7:30. Enrollees will get a book and instructions on how to create a piece of their own design and will weave a bookmark in the class. All supplies will be provided and the fee for the class is $20. For more information or to register, call 247-0651 or 247-5306 or you can e-mail salemartscouncil@outlook.com.

A Salem woman was injured in an accident that happened on Tuesday evening, March 1st just after 7:30. According to report from the Salem Police Department a 2007 Ford Expedition being operated by Laura Benstine of Salem was stopped in traffic facing west on Rolla Road due to a transmission failure. Benstine exited the vehicle to speak with a Dent County deputy who was assisting on the scene. As the deputy was backing up to clear a space to provide for removal of the vehicle, Benstine got back in the vehicle and put the transmission in neutral then got back out of the vehicle. The Ford began to roll backward out of control, striking Benstine with the open front door knocking her to the roadway. The vehicle then began turning to the right sweeping over top of the driver pinning her underneath the Expedition. Deputies and several people standing near by were able to move the vehicle off the driver. Benstine was taken to the helipad at SMDH and was flown by Air Evac to Mercy St. Louis Hospital. Salem police were assisted on the scene by the Dent County Sheriff’s department and the Missouri State Highway patrol.

Salem High School Senior Justin Arthur from the Salem R-80 Construction Trades Program placed first in the district for the practical application of carpentry at the SkillsUSA competition hosted in Lebanon on Wednesday, March 2nd. Justin also scored third place for a written carpentry test. Justin is now eligible to participate in the state competition that will be held April 7th through the 9th at Missouri State Technical College in Linn. Depending on his placement there, he may be eligible for the national competition. Jason McCarter of Salem scored third in the skills portion and, if either first or second place winners cannot participate, he will be eligible to compete at state. The Salem R-80 Construction Trades Program is instructed by A.J. Tinker.

The Salem Police Department have released a report confirming the arrest of 57-year-old Timothy Bruce Dooley from Salem after a search warrant was served Sunday evening, March 6th, on his government subsidized apartment on 502 West Independence in Salem. He was charged with three felony counts of distribution of a controlled substance in a protected location and three misdemeanor counts of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $500,000. As a result of the search warrant, approximately 16 grams of methamphetamine, 104 heroin beans, 19 grams of loose heroin, 199 grams of marijuana along with numerous items of drug paraphernalia were seized. Cash was also found in the amount of about $14,000. Dooley was interviewed at the Salem Police Department and admitted to the distribution of heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana. After the interview was concluded, Dooley was taken to the Dent County Jail.

The Missouri Department of Conservation will begin allowing the expanded use of bicycles and electric bicycles on many department-area service roads and multi-use trails starting February 28th. Multi-use trails allow a variety of users, such as horseback riders, bicyclists, and hikers. Service roads are non-public roads on MDC areas used by staff to conduct resource management activities. Many service roads are currently used as walking paths by the public. MDC notes that conditions of service roads on department areas vary and are not maintained at the level of public-use trails and public roads. The regulation change will impact approximately 300 MDC areas and provide access to more than 1,500 additional miles of roads for cyclists. Approximately 30 of these areas will be closed to bicycle and electric bicycle use during all portions of the firearms deer hunting season and the spring turkey hunting seasons. Bicycle use on most of MDC’s approximately 1,100 conservation areas is still restricted to roads open to public-vehicle traffic and some multi-use trails because the areas do not have applicable service roads. Bicycles are not allowed on service roads on department lands associated with nature and education centers, fish hatcheries, staffed ranges, offices, designated natural areas where bicycle use could cause damage to sensitive habitats, and other conservation areas. Electric bicycles are defined by MDC as “any two-wheeled or three-wheeled device equipped with fully operable pedals, a saddle or seat for the rider, and an electric motor of not more than 750 watts. MDC adds that cyclists are expected to follow appropriate trail etiquette, including yielding to pedestrians and horseback riders, maintaining a safe speed, staying on designated trails or service roads, and avoiding damaging trails by not riding in wet conditions. Find MDC multi-use bicycle trails and allowed service roads online through the MDC webpage titled “Find Places to Go” at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places. Bike trails can be searched for by using the Advanced Search feature. Service roads can be identified by searching for a conservation area and then checking the online map for the area to see if service roads exist that allow bicycles.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday for their regular meeting at the courthouse. Treasurer Denita Williams presented the sales tax money received from the state this month. In the General Revenue and Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund, the county received $85,670.18 in each fund and those funds are each up $206,381.63 for the first three months of 2022. The Road and Bridge Fund received $39,486.61 and year-to-date that fund is up $94,385.67; while each of the jail funds received $78,921.16 and have increased for the first quarter of 2022 $188,590.29. Last year, the county received no sales taxes in the month of March due to the error by the Missouri Department of Revenue. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 6280 while only grading would be done on county roads 5220 and 5610. He also indicated brush would be cut on county roads 2430 and 2440. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2150, 5240 and 5260; while only materials would be added to county road 2405 and 3165. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Executive Board meeting Tuesday morning where they approved grant extensions and close outs. He said there would be a cleanup of an illegal dump site in the Mark Twain National Forest in Dent County. Skiles said the district would be installing hard to detect cameras throughout the forest to find those who are dumping illegally and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. Skiles also reported the City of Rolla is no longer offering curbside recycling collection. Rolla Recycling Manager Brady Wilson said citizens can still fill their recycling bins and bring them to Rolla Recycling to be emptied. The city said the costs were getting too high and there was a problem with getting enough help with the pickup. Skiles said he, the county treasurer and county clerk attended a Zoom meeting Wednesday to get an update on the distribution of the county ARPA funds. Skiles said the commissioners would be attending a South Central Missouri County Commission Association meeting in Houston today. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported absentee voting for the Municipal Election continues in her office, and the testing of the voting machines will be held on March 22nd at 9:00 in the morning. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

On March 1st a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Missouri in Cape Girardeau returned an indictment against Marvin “Mark” Remster in connection with the arson of the Round Spring Visitor Contact Station in Ozark National Scenic Riverways last December. According to the four-count indictment, the 39-year-old Remster from Davisville, has been charged with the felony offenses of arson, burglary, theft of government property, and felon-in-possession of a firearm. The arson charge is punishable by imprisonment for up to twenty years. The investigation remains ongoing. These charges stemmed from a reported fire at the Round Spring Visitor Contact Station on the night of December 26th, 2021. The National Park Service law enforcement rangers responded to the scene and observed the building was engulfed in flames. Local firefighters from Timber and Eminence extinguished the blaze, but the building was a total loss. During fire suppression efforts it was determined that a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado pickup belonging to the Park Service had been stolen from the parking lot. Evidence at the scene indicated the fire was incendiary in nature and a joint criminal investigation was undertaken by NPS law enforcement rangers and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Charges set forth are just accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The loss of the Round Spring Visitor Contact Station and the stolen government vehicle are substantial losses, however what cannot be measured is the loss of park historical items associated with the structure. Planning is underway for both temporary and long-term replacements for the visitor contact station to minimize the impact of the crime on park visitors.

State Fire Marshal Tim Bean recommends Missourians use the return of daylight savings time this weekend to change the batteries as well as test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. At 2:00 this Sunday morning, March 13th, clocks need to be moved forward one hour. Bean also urges families to practice their fire escape plans. Safety experts recommend families practice their home escape plans at least twice each year. The risk of dying in a fire is cut by one-half by having working smoke alarms in your home. About one-half of home fire deaths occur between 11:00 at night and 7:00 in the morning when most people are asleep. That’s why it’s important for all family members to be able to act react quickly and get out. Every family member, including children, should know two escape routes from every room in their residence. This should be shared with overnight guests, too. Bean also reminds Missourians that they should have carbon monoxide alarms for their homes. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, tasteless, invisible gas that results from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, which can be deadly if undetected. Bean recommends families check their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly by pushing the test button; replace smoke alarms every 10 years because they lose their effectiveness over time; and installing additional smoke alarms if you don’t have a minimum of one alarm on every level of the home, inside and outside all bedrooms.