Local News

The Dent County Commissioners met for the regular Thursday morning meeting at the courthouse. During public comments, John McIntyre was in to discuss road conditions in the Adams Subdivision on county road 4170. He said the people living on the road are being flooded and talked about the previous problems with the flooding on a number of properties on the road. He noted the ditches being deeper than the culverts and a culvert that was improperly installed. Commissioner Mobray said he would check out the road after the meeting. In the road report, both commissioners said crews would be out checking roads for washouts and clogged culverts as well as any limbs or trees downed by the winds the past couple of days. Commissioner Gary Larson said District 2 crews received a report of a tree down on Wednesday and have taken care of the problem. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported on a broadband meeting held at the City Hall Council Chambers on Tuesday with the Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge, City Administrator Ray Walden, all three commissioners and Zack Robinson with Wave Internet Technologies. They said the meeting was informative. Skiles also said the county invites the public to a Dent County Mitigation Plan meeting to be held Tuesday at 1:00 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. This being done to update the plan which is required every five years. All three commissioners are expected to be there as are representatives from the schools, the city and fire departments. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she and the Dent County Treasurer balanced on all accounts for January and that public voting for the artwork for the new county “I Voted” sticker is still going on in her office. You can vote for your favorite through Wednesday, February 23rd. Only one vote per person. She stated absentee voting for the April 5th election will begin on Tuesday and that will also be the day people can file for county or state offices in the county clerk’s office starting at 8:00 that morning. Filing will be done on a first come, first served basis. Curley said the courthouse will be closed Monday for President’s Day and there will be no commission meeting. She went on to report she will be attending a Missouri Association of County meeting Wednesday afternoon in Jefferson City. Curley also said she is looking for poll workers for the upcoming elections. If you would be interested, please contact her office at 729-4144. 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.

A Private Pesticide Applicator Training will be held in Dent County on Thursday, February 24th from 6:00 until 8:30 in the evening at the Dent County Extension Office in the Judicial Building at 112 East 5th Street. The private pesticide applicator license issued by the Missouri Dept of Agriculture is required for producers who want to purchase and apply restricted use pesticides. Application by unlicensed workers under the supervision of licensed applicators will no longer be allowed. Agricultural producers needing to obtain or renew certification of this license must take this pesticide safety training every five years. You must be 18 years of age and directly involved in the production of agricultural commodities to obtain this license. Each person participating in the training is required to have a copy of the Private Pesticide Applicator Manual on their farm. There is a $25 to cover the cost of the manual and you may purchase it at the training with either cash or a check, no credit cards are accepted. In response to COVID-19, the extension in-person training sessions will have masks and sanitizer available for those who wish to use them. They plan to offer both virtual and in-person events this season to better meet your needs. You can register online or contact Dent County Extension Center at 573-729-3196. There is no charge to attend the training. If you have any questions about the training, please contact Gatlin Bunton, 573-775-2135.

An accident happened Thursday morning at 11:00 in Texas County on Highway 32 about three miles east of Licking that left a Salem man with injuries. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 Pontiac Vide being driven by 64-year- old Stanley Ray of Salem, traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. Ray suffered moderate injuries and was transported to the Texas County Memorial Hospital. He was not wearing a seat restraint according to the report. The Pontiac was totaled in the accident and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem.

City of Salem Utility Committee and Capital Improvements Committees held a joint meeting on Tuesday evening at the Wilson Family Center. In attendance were the Mayor, all four aldermen, the city department supervisors and committee members. East Ward Alderman and Capital Improvements Committee Chairman, Shawn Bolerjack called the meeting to order and City Administrator Ray Walden updated the committee on the city’s budget process, fund balances, revenue and expense reports to date and a summary of the current fiscal year’s capital projects. The city’s General Revenue Fund of a 1% sales tax totaled $831,116 thru January 31st with a budgeted amount of $1,150,000. The Park and Recreation 3/8 cent sales tax revenue was $311,681 with $425,000 being budgeted. Capital Improvements 1/2 cent sales tax brought in $416,668 with $575,000 budgeted. The Electric Sales Revenue brought in $3,125,636 with $5,750,0000 budgeted. Water sales totaled $559,036 and Sewer Sales totaled $528,536 with both having budgeted amounts of $950,000. The capital projects spent to date totaled $1,174,483 with $3,964,087 being budgeted and projected to be spent by year end of $3,792,653. The city has received ½ of the allocated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds of $990,000 with the other half being due in May. City staff is currently working on the best way to spend these funds with a deadline of 2024 to have the funds spent.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be holding their regular meeting this evening at 6:00 in the high school library. After approval of the consent agenda, a parent, Nicky Stringer, has asked to address the board concerning the SRCSP policy before the board hears from Chris Salzman and Doug Adams with an ESP building project update. Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed with then give her report to the board followed by principals’ reports from William Lynch, the upper elementary, middle school, senior high and the activities and athletics report. In new business, the board will discuss changing insurance payments to be paid the “month of” instead of the month ahead. The board will then approve the 2022-2023 calendar and approve the revised technology support staff job description. They will also select a grant management firm and an architectural firm to apply for the FEMA grant for a safe room at the upper elementary, and approve the bid process for the gym floor sponsorship. The board will hear any resignations before voting to go into executive session. The meeting of the Salem R-80 Board of Education this evening is open to the public.

Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley released reports from Circuit Court held in Crawford County Tuesday in front of Judge Michael Randazzo. In the first case, Dennis Loughridge of Leasburg pled guilty to the distribution of meth. He was sentenced to serve ten years in the Missouri Department of Corrections at the request of the prosecutor. In the second case, Judge Randazzo sentenced Jacob Richardson to serve seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections after he revoked Richardson’s probation for tampering with a motor vehicle.

Employees at The Doe Run Company’s Sweetwater Mill celebrated an impressive safety accomplishment, reaching 25 consecutive years worked with no lost-time incidents. The employees at Sweetwater Mill attribute this achievement to a company culture that’s focused on safety, and the team’s efforts to share their experiences and knowledge with one another. Doe Run integrates a safety mindset into everything it does. Employees complete nearly 16,000 hours of safety training every year, and every shift or meeting at the company begins with sharing a safety tip to keep safety at the top of their mind. This commitment has enabled Doe Run’s other three mills to achieve noteworthy safety milestones with no lost-time incidents that include Brushy Creek Mill at 16 years, Buick Mill at 11 years, and Fletcher Mill at 8 years. In addition, the Sweetwater Mine surface team has reached 18 years with no lost time.

The Healthy Dent County Fitness Center will offer their final Line Dancing class on Tuesday at 6:30 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. The cost to attend is $5.00 at the door and the class instructor is Rosalie Wright. E-mail Susie at susie@salemcommunitycenter.org for more information or call 739-1127.

Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley released reports from Circuit Court held in Dent County Monday in front of Judge Megan Seay. In the first case, Jennifer Smith of Salem pled guilty to two counts of felony stealing charges. She was sentenced to serve seven years under the Section 559.115 program as requested by the prosecutor. Justin Parker of Salem then pled guilty to domestic assault in the 2nd degree as a prior and persistent felony offender. Parker was sentenced to serve ten years under Section 217.362 which is a long-term treatment program. According to Curley, both dispositions occurred with the advice and consent of the victims in each case. Also on Monday in the Dent County Circuit Court, Judge Megan Seay sentenced Mark Graham of Salem to serve seven years in the Department of Corrections for a charge of assault in the third degree on a law enforcement officer.

The Salem Park and Recreation Board will be meeting tonight at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 5:30 in the Rotary Room. The agenda includes a presentation from People Centric about “getting the most out of the board.” Kyle Williams will also discuss the Frisbe Golf Course before any other business isaddressed. The meeting will then be adjourned. The Salem Park and Recreation Board meeting is open to the public.

Six Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) Missouri Veterans Homes have received “Best in Class” Customer Experience Awards from the Pinnacle Quality Insight for 2022. The Missouri Veterans Homes in Cameron, Cape Girardeau, Mexico, Mt. Vernon, Warrensburg and St. James have won this award for three consecutive years. In all seven Veterans Homes, these six and Missouri Veterans Home in St. Louis, they ranked highest with cleanliness, dignity, respect, and safety and security. The organization also received a 100% resident satisfaction rating. The Pinnacle national average is 76.1% in this category. Pinnacle is a customer satisfaction measurement firm with 26 years of experience in post-acute healthcare; they conduct over 150,000 phone surveys each year and work with more than 2,500 care providers. During the telephone survey, veterans and their family members are asked open-ended questions and to rank facilities in specific categories. The Missouri Veterans Commission operates seven state Veterans Homes, five State Veterans Cemeteries, and the Veterans Services Program. The Commission is committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care for Veterans, seamlessly integrated with the Veteran community, emphasizing a culture of transparency and excellence. For more information about the Missouri Veterans Commission programs, call 573-751-3779 or visit http://www.mvc.dps.mo.gov/>.

The team at Current River State Park invites the public to participate in the joy of bird-watching at the park’s annual event from 9:00 to 10:00 in the morning on Friday, February 18th. Those interested in attending should meet at the Ninebark Trailhead at 9:00 for a short walk through a forested river bottom to look for nuthatches, woodpeckers and many more birds. Participants should bring binoculars and favorite field guides if available, and if not, there will be a limited supply of binoculars and some field a limited supply of binoculars and some field guides available for use. Dress for the occasion and wear shoes for hiking. This walk will be on natural material and can be uneven with the possibility of downed trees. For more information, feel free to contact Connie Weber at connie.weber@dnr.mo.gov or 573-751-1224. Current River State Park is located on Highway 19, approximately 23 miles south of Salem and approximately 15 miles north of Eminence.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray indicated that brush would be cut on Dent County Road 2400 and materials would be added to county roads 2470 and 2480 where damaged culverts had been replaced. Mobray said crews will continue to replace damaged culverts this week. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated brush would be cut on county roads 4350 and 4353 while materials will be added to county road 4055. Larson said a crew will be servicing Grader #32 and another crew will be patching chip and seal roads. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported all three commissioners attended the CCAM required training last Wednesday through Friday. He said a number of commissioners went to the capital last week to visit with representatives. Skiles said he would be attending a broadband meeting this afternoon at the City Hall Council Chambers. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the collector and assessor on all collections, abatements, and add-ons for the month of January. She said filing for county offices will begin on Tuesday, February 22nd and that will be the same day that absentee voting will begin for the April 5th Municipal Election. She said the four finalists in the ”I Voted” sticker art contest, have been determined and the public can vote on their favorite in the county clerk’s office through February 23rd at the courthouse. At the last meeting. Commissioner Larson stated he checked the emergency generator at the Oak Grove Baptist Church, and it worked OK. The commissioners also discussed the county policy handbook when there is inclement weather. The policy will now state when the commissioner’s close county buildings due to inclement weather or other conditions, full time employees will be compensated in accordance with the county policy regarding paid holidays. This new policy was approved by a 3-0 vote by the commission. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk updated the commission on the January collection turnover of $177,641.00 from her office. 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.

Alderman Shawn Bolerjack, the Finance Committee and Capital Improvements Committee Chairman, has called for a joint meeting of the Finance and Capital Improvements Committees to be held at the Wilson Family Center at 1000 West International Street on this evening at 6:00. The committee will review the City of Salem budget process and a review of the fiscal year 21-22 budget and capital improvement projects. The meeting will then be adjourned. The joint meeting of the Finance and Capital Improvement Committee is open to the public.

The report released by the Dent County Sheriff’s office for the week of February 7th through the 12th. On Wednesday February 9th, deputies were dispatched to Dent County Road 6497 for a reported domestic violence incident. During the course of the investigation, a 55-year-old Jadwin man was arrested and placed on a 24-hour hold at the Dent County Jail. The next day on February 10th, a deputy was dispatched to the Dent County Jail for a report of property damage. During the course of the investigation, a 33-year-old Salem man, who was an inmate at the jail, was charged with damage to jail property. Then on February 11th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Highway 72. During the course of the stop, an 18-year-old Bunker man was arrested for driving with no valid driver’s license and operating a motor vehicle without maintaining financial responsibility. He was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued two summons and released. Later that day, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at S. Hickory and Franklin Street. During the course of the stop, a 40-year-old Salem man was arrested for the possession of a control substance except for 35 grams or less of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoid. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted and released, pending formal charges by the Dent County Prosecuting Attorney.

Missouri State Parks will be launching an enhanced online reservation system beginning at 7:00 TOMORROW. In order to complete the upgrade, Missouri State Parks will NOT be accepting new reservations, changes or cancellations until Tuesday morning. This includes online reservations at icampmo.com, phone reservations through the call center and reservations made at a state park or state historic site locations. State parks and historic sites will be open under normal, off-season operations during this time. The new reservation system will offer many new features including the ability to buy and send Missouri State Parks eGift Cards. Interactive park maps and multiple photos to preview campsites. Easy-to-use search function, showing results up to 70 miles from your search area. The ability to reserve shelters online and the ability to sign up for tours online. As part of the new reservation system, there will be a $2 decrease in reservation fees for reservations made online and a $.50 decrease in reservation fees for reservations made through the call center. Beginning Tuesday morning, making an advanced reservation for campsites and group tent areas will result in the following nonrefundable reservation fees, $6.50 for reservations made online at icampmo.com and $8 for reservations made through the call center at 877-422-6766. Same-day reservations for campsites are accepted and do not incur a reservation fee. For reservations made with an arrival date beginning Sunday, January 1st, 2023, camping rates will increase $2 per night for basic and electric campsites; and $3 per night for electric and water 50 AMP and sewer, electric, and water 50 AMP campsites. For questions related to these changes, email moparks@dnr.mo.gov or call 800-334-6946. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

An accident occurred Saturday afternoon at 1:25 in Phelps County on County Road 8360 about a mile and a half west of Highway 63. According to the highway patrol report a 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup driven by 50-year-old Sheridan Blackwell of Rolla, was traveling westbound and traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. Blackwell suffered serious injuries and was transported to University Hospital in Columbia by Air Ambulance. He was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Dodge sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by C&C Towing.

Healthy Dent County is planning to begin another Project RISE program that will empower individuals and offer support as they strive to lead their families out of poverty.  The goal is to have a new cohort of families begin this spring. This program will address root issues keeping families in poverty and work toward developing strategies to overcome these challenges and sustain long-term change.  Project RISE will help provide the tools and resources to solve-problems, create new habits and provide a forum for networking and creating healthy dialogue with mentors, experts and others who have found ways to achieve additional success. Families accepted in the program will work on reducing debt, improving credit scores, increasing income, strengthening confidence and gaining hope. Only 4-7 families will be selected for this two-year program, and they must meet these requirements: must have stable housing; they must reside in Dent County; and most importantly, the participants must be ready, willing and open to make changes to find new opportunities. To make this project a success, Healthy Dent County will work with social service agencies, churches, health care and employment specialists and community leaders. The wealth of knowledge from these professionals will be invaluable to improving the lives of these families for generations to come. Ms. Lacey Walker, Administrative Professional with Healthy Dent County, will serve as the coordinator for this program. There are a number of ways you can partner with Healthy Dent County on this project that includes referring families, volunteering to help make a presentation at one of the 16-weekly classes, sponsor a weekly meal by providing food or donating $150, or by sponsor a family by donating $250. All donations to Healthy Dent County are tax deductible. For more information on Project RISE or to determine a family’s eligibility, please contact Lacey Walker at 729-8163 or e-mail her at lacey@salemcommunitycenter.org.

On Wednesday night, two Salem FFA members took 1st place in the Area 13 SAE Proficiency Awards. Congratulations goes out to Kennedy Chapman on getting 1st Place in Diversified Livestock Production and Irvin Johnson for taking 1st Place in Beef Production Placement.

The Salem Police Department has released reports for the period from January 16th to February 4th. On Monday evening, January 17 at about 9:30, officers were dispatched to Wal-Mart for a report of trespassing. It was reported that a male subject had entered the store after being trespassed from the store for a prior shoplifting charge. The police talked with the man, and he admitted he was thinking about shoplifting again but ended up just leaving. The 30-year-old Salem male was issued a summons to appear in court. On Thursday morning, January 20th, around 9:00, an officer was sent to Dirt Cheap for a report of shoplifting. It was reported that a female had stolen lighters and alcohol valued at approximately $40. The police later made contact with the woman after she had stolen from the store again on January 23rd in the amount of approximately $15. As a result, the 38-year-old Salem woman was arrested and issued a summons to appear in court. On Monday, January 24th at about 9:45 in the evening, an officer was dispatched to Dirt Cheap for a report of a shoplifting. It was reported that a male subject had stolen headphones from the store. Upon further investigation, a 39-year-old Salem man was arrested and later released on a summons. Also, while investigating this matter, the police discovered the woman who had accompanied the man had an active arrest warrant out of Oklahoma. As a result, Miranda Fender of Boynton Beach, Florida, was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail pending extradition. At around 1:30 in the morning on Saturday, January 29th, an officer conducted a traffic stop for improper registration. The officer also noticed the subject was driving in a suspicious manner. As a result of the traffic stop, the officer investigated and found the driver to be intoxicated. The 30-year-old Salem man was arrested for a DWI and released on summons to appear in court. Around 6:00 Sunday evening, January 30th, officers arrested two subjects on “no bond” warrants because of a domestic violence investigation. The police arrested 24-year-old Antonio Quick and 24-year-old Stephanie Denney, both of Salem, and they were incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

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 if you any questions, send an email to sacba@salemmo.com. As always, SACBA values the support of the community, and looks forward to honoring those who support our community.

The Missouri Feral Hog Elimination Partnership removed 9,857 feral hogs from the landscape in 2021, making the total number of feral hogs eliminated more than 54,000 since 2016. The Partnership is made up of 13 federal and state agencies along with numerous agriculture and conservations organizations. Partnership employees were able to assist 1,308 landowners and scout more than 3 million acres for feral hog damage last year. The top counties where feral hogs were removed include Iron County with 1,940 hogs, Wayne County with 1,329 hogs, and Reynolds with 1,268 hogs. Feral hogs range spans across at least 35 states, including Missouri. Feral hogs are primarily found in the southern portion of the state and across at least 17 counties. Efforts made by the Partnership have resulted in a 48.5% decrease in the number of watersheds occupied by feral hogs in Missouri since 2016. The partnership is appreciative of the private landowners in Missouri that allowed Partnership staff to access their properties to remove feral hogs. Without private landowners continued support and cooperation our progress toward elimination would be much more difficult. The Partnership plans to continue to work with landowners who need help with feral hog problems. They also aim to expand the use of aerial resources such as helicopters and drones to find feral hogs. If you need help with a feral hog issue or would like to report feral hog damage, please do so by reporting it online at www.mdc.mo.gov/feralhog or call 573-522-4115 ext. 3296.

An Introduction to Tree Syruping workshop for woodland owners, farmers and ranchers will be held at the Wurdack Farm in Cook Station on Friday, February 11th from 1:00 until 4:00 in the afternoon. This half day course will introduce participants to the fundamentals of tree syruping. Topics include setting taps in the trees, sap collection equipment, evaporator basics and other syruping tools, steps for making syrup from sap and forest management of syruping. The cost of the workshop is $5.00. Field Specialist Sarah Havens will lead the workshop. A special emphasis on socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers will be given. For more information, call Sarah at 573-458-6260 or e-mail her at havenss@missouri.edu. You can also call the Dent County Extension Center to register at 729-3196.

Dent County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Curley has released results from the 42nd Judicial Circuit Court held Tuesday in Dent County in front of Judge Michael Randazzo. In the first case heard, Scott Mayberry of Salem pled guilty to the distribution of meth. Judge Randazzo sentenced him to serve ten years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Sumerlee Barnett of Springfield who was on the probation for the possession of a controlled substance and had already completed a Section 559.115 program, had her probation revoked and was sentenced to serve seven years in the Department of Corrections. Terry Reeves from Salem had been charged with failing to register as a sex offender. He pled guilty and was sentenced by Judge Randazzo to serve three years in the Department of Corrections. The last case heard Tuesday was Jesse Light of Salem. He pled guilty to the possession of fentanyl, resisting arrest and assault in the 3rd degree. Judge Randazzo sentenced Light to serve seven years in the Department of Corrections.

A couples or singles paint-n-sip with Danielle Norris will be Friday, February 11th from 6:30 until 8:30 @ the Creative Arts Center. Let Danielle lead you step-by-step through a dreamy painting. Bring a beverage and a friend or family member to enjoy and evening away from the stresses of the day or week! This is a perfect way to celebrate Valentines a little early. Be prepared to get creative. All the supplies for the class are provided and the cost is $25 For more information or to register, call 247-0651 or 247-5306 or you can e-mail salemartscouncil@outlook.com.

The Salem Board of Aldermen met Tuesday evening in the City Hall Council Chambers. At the meeting, after the approval of the consent agenda, the board approved Bill #3499 to create an ordinance that would amend Chapter 115, Article 1 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Salem pertaining to the qualifications of elected and appointed officials dealing with exceptions. This ordinance is being updated to follow statue guidelines. The board then approved a bid from Fleetwood Fireworks for the 4th of July Fireworks display at a cost of $12,524. Also approved was a rebuilt fuel pump and card reader for the airport for $8,525 that was purchased from Gas Pump Exchange. The price does not include installation. Police Chief Joe Chase will contact Mid State Petroleum for installation. City Administrator Ray Walden reported the HVAC building maintenance project has begun at four city buildings. There were 7,444 participants in programs and events at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory during the month of January. The city administration offices will be closed Monday, February 21st for Presidents’ Day. Jeff Meadows from Archer-Elgin gave an update on several projects ranging from the upgrade of the Wastewater Treatment facility, the Route J & Highway 72 sewer extension and downtown revitalization. Public Works Director Mark Nash reported staff has been working on snow removal and will address all potholes in the near future. If a citizen would like to report a pothole, they are asked to call the city offices at 729-4811. Salem and Dent County Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge gave an update on several projects She said Godi Excavating is doing the site clearing at the Industrial Park Certified Site project. Burbridge also reported the city has been awarded the Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing grant in partnership with Riverways Federal Credit Union. Burbridge will update the board after agreements have been signed and training has been conducted. In the aldermen reports, each council member thanked the city employees for their hard work during the recent snowstorm. The board then went into closed session.

Your Community Health Center is excited to announce their name change to Four Rivers Community Health Center. Stuart Gipson, CEO of Four Rivers, said that their mission has always included serving persons from Phelps, Maries, Crawford, Dent and Pulaski counties, but now with their expansion to have physical buildings in these communities, their name will reflect their regional footprint. Four Rivers provides comprehensive healthcare services for pediatrics, adolescents, and adults. Services include primary medical care, dental, behavioral health, oral surgery for all ages, OB/GYN, well-child exams, and medication assisted treatment program to support those struggling with addiction, plus a new service of providing free Medicaid application support. For more information contact Felisha Richards online at frichards@fourrivers.org or call 573-426-6033.

Create a hand-made felted Valentine or other artistic piece out of wool on Thursday, February 10th at the Creative Arts Center. Join Terri Phelps from 6:00 until 8:00 and learn about Felting, which is a tatting technique with a needle on wool, to apply details and create form. You will get to take your creations home and enjoy sharing conversations about your experience creating with this unique technique. All the supplies for the class are provided and the cost is $25 For more information or to register, call 247-0651 or 247-5306 or you can e-mail salemartscouncil@outlook.com.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning for their regular meeting. Salem and Dent County Economic Director Sally Burbridge gave her monthly report that indicated the City of Salem received the FHLB $500,000 Affordable Housing Grant after originally being selected as an alternate. She also reported there are two potential structures and a foundation that would like to participate in the Voluntary Residential Demolition Program. Burbridge went on to report the site clearing of the certified site in the Masters Industrial Park is underway where the timber must be cleared by March 31st and the rest of project is expected to be done around the end of April. Burbridge also provided the county with employment and unemployment data for the commissioners as well as census figures that showed in 2020 Dent County lost over 1,200 residents while the City of Salem lost over 340 residents. She said the Census Bureau updated some of their data from July 1st 2020 to July 1, 2021 that showed Missouri had added 13,700 new residents, but there is no individual breakdown on county numbers. The census data accuracy is still being debated since COVID changed the way information was collected where in person visits were eliminated. Burbridge showed through a graph the labor force has remained fairly stable with maybe a slight increase over the last four years. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said crews are working on the trucks to clean them up and make repairs where needed. He said some roads continue to receive treatments to help breakup the ice and snow from shaded areas. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said a crew is out treating roads where needed, and another crew is changing grader blades out after the plowing. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said there will be no meeting Thursday due to the commissioners training. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she received eight “I Voted” designs for new stickers for the 2022-2023 elections from students at the Salem High School. She stated the finalists will be determined and then the public is invited to vote on the finalists in the county clerk’s office during regular business hours beginning Wednesday and lasting through February 23rd. One vote per design per person. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said he had two roads that citizens have petitioned to be abandoned. The first road that is being petitioned is Dent County Road 3283 in the Spring Creek West Township that is about ¼ mile long which is surrounded by the property of Eddie Parsons. The other road is Dent County Road 2053 in the Watkins Township that is about 1/10th of a mile long that is surrounded by the property of Larry Daniels. The petition has to be posted in three locations within each township for 20 days and the public has a right to offer written objections on the abandonment or be at the hearing which will be on Thursday, March 3rd at 10:00 at the courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams brought in the sales tax monies received by the county this month. The General Revenue Fund and the LEST Fund each brought in $85,934.25 that showed an increase year-to-date of $120,812 as last year in February, none of the county funds received any funding due to the Department of Revenue error. In the Road and Bridge Fund, the county received $35,271.61 bring a year-to-date increase of $54,944; and the two jail funds each brought in $70,479.52. They each show an increase over last year of $109,764. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday, February 14th at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Board of Trustees at Salem Memorial District Hospital (SMDH) in a closed session meeting Thursday have relieved Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas of his duties as CEO effective last Thursday, February 3rd. The board also named Bill May as their Interim CEO, effective Friday, February 4th. Bill May will be onsite to begin his duties today. Mr. May has over 30 years of CEO experience in rural hospitals similar to SMDH and is affiliated with Rural Hospital Group (RHG). RHG and its partners have worked with over 800 hospitals in 42 states, a large percentage being rural providers. RHG was founded to help keep health care accessible to rural communities through professional management. RHG leaders have extensive experience developing and operating hospitals in rural settings. RHG was brought into SMDH by the Board of Directors for an initial period of 90 days to assist the hospital in responding to the financial crisis sweeping the rural hospital industry which has partially been caused by the ongoing global pandemic. Starting today, RHG will begin discussion with staff, providers and the community in an effort to stabilize and improve operations for SMDH.

Committee Chair Catherine Dent has called a meeting of the City of Salem’s Utility Committee for this evening at 6:00 in the City Hall Council Chambers at 202 N. Washington St. The committee will be meeting to consider Utility Disconnections before they adjourn. The meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened Thursday morning at 9:30 in Franklin County on eastbound Interstate 44 near the 227-mile marker. According to the report released by the highway patrol a 2014 International Harvester Lonestar being driven by 34-year-old Christopher Frisby of Rolla was stopped due to a previous accident ahead. At that time, a 2016 Freightliner Cascadia being driven by 46-year-old Mohamed Siad of Columbus, Ohio was inattentive and struck the rear of the International. Both drivers suffered moderate injuries, and both were transported to Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan by Missouri Baptist EMS. The International was totaled and removed from the scene by Big Boys Towing. The Freightliner sustained extensive damage and was towed by Patriots Towing. The report went on to state that both drivers were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident.

These reports were released from the Dent County Sheriff’s Office. On Tuesday, February 1st, a deputy was dispatched to the 5400 block of Highway 19 for a report of property damage. During the course of the investigation, a male juvenile admitted to the incident. A referral was made to the Juvenile Office concerning the incident. Then on Thursday, February 3rd, deputies were dispatched to the 2700 block of Highway 119 for a reported burglary. During the course of the investigation, a 39-year-old Salem man was arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail. He was placed on a 24-hour hold pending formal charges. If anyone has any information regarding these incidents, please call the sheriff’s office at 729-3241.

Come join Patty Burmeister and learn about Sherenschnitte and learn the “old world” craft of paper cutting to create some valentines, decorative wall hangings and more by using paper and special scissors. The two-hour session will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 this evening at the Creative Arts Center. The cost of the class is $25 for the patterns, scissors and supplies. This class is appropriate for all ages. For more information or to register, call 247-0651 or 247-5306 you can e-mail salemartscouncil@outlook.com.