Local News

The Salem Board of Aldermen have rescheduled their special meeting of the board for tonight at 5:30 at the Old City Hall Auditorium. The original meeting was canceled due to not enough members to form a quorum. At their meeting, the board will do the first and second reading of Bill #3636 that would approve the change order #2 for the City Sidewalk Tap Grant project. The cost of the change order is for $10,807 which 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 if MoDOT approves Change Order #2. The board will also discuss and hold the first and second readings of Bill #3637 that would amend items A and B from Section 710.330 regarding sewer billing to make these items applicable to all utility accounts, and remove items C, D, and E. The meeting will then be adjourned. The special meeting of the City of Salem Board of Aldermen tonight is open to the public.

An accident occurred Monday evening at 5:19 on Highway 72 North of Salem near Dent County Road 2230 that took the life of a 72-year-old Female pedestrian. According to the Highway Patrol report the woman entered the roadway in front of a southbound 2007 Dodge Charger driven by a 35-year-old Salem Female. The victim was taken by Salem Memorial Ambulance to SMH where she was pronounced deceased at 6:00 by Dr. Charles Featherly. The Dodge sustained minor damage and was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors held their regular meeting Monday night at 7:00 in the Hospital Library. After approving the agenda and minutes from the previous meetings, Hospital CEO Brooke Bollman gave her report, stating there is no new news on the affiliate program. The hospital experienced total operating revenue of about $3.1 million and total operating expenditures of about $1.9 million, leaving total profit of $1.3 million for the month of November. Bollman did clarify that they are still working with the auditors to adjust some accounts, including taxes and retirement. 340B revenue for November was $250,000, total expenses were $71,000 leaving a total profit of $178,000. The hospital currently has 32 days worth of cash on hand. During the CNO report, Bollman stated that there are seven nursing position openings across various departments. EMS attended a first responders appreciation night; through the ARPA Fund they received $90,000 in new equipment. There have been two new hires in the Med/surg department and two resignations. During the QAPI Report, it was noted that the hospital continues working on their patient experience project, and their medication events project. Ten organizations submitted more than $700,000 in requests for ToRCH Grant Funding. The recipients of this grant will be announced on January 6 via press release. Deborah Gorman with Infection Prevention gave an update on illness, stating there has been a rise in COVID cases at the hospital, including 4 positive cases in long term care. There have been two positive cases for RSV, and seven positive cases of the flu in December. There have not been any new candidates for the open board position and due to the finance committee not having the required three members, those meetings have been halted until further notice. There will be a bi-weekly special director’s meeting, to discuss acquisition, every other Tuesday evening at 7:00. One of those meetings will be held the same day as the regular board of director’s meeting. The board approved Brooke Bollman to conduct funding research to replace the hospital’s Pulmonary Function Test machine. The current machine is no longer working at optimal capacity and the parts are not replaceable due to being obsolete and no longer compatible with the current operating system. Bollman will be looking for ways to fund this purchase within the budget as well as any possible grant opportunities. Once purchased, the new machine may take up to 120 days to be delivered and come with a five year warranty. The meeting then adjourned to closed session. The date for the next board meeting has not yet been announced.

The Board of Aldermen scheduled a special meeting last night at 5:30 in the Old City Hall Auditorium to hear the first and second readings of Bill #3636 that would approve the change order #2 for the City Sidewalk Tap Grant project. The board was also going to discuss and hold the first and second readings of Bill #3637 that would amend items A and B from Section 710.330 regarding sewer billing. However, there were not enough members to hold a quorum, and so the meeting was canceled. At this time, the meeting has not been rescheduled.

The Dent County Commission held their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. It was the last meeting for outgoing commissioners Wes Mobray and Gary Polk, and Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson wanted to thank them for their time serving the public in their roles as district commissioners. Mobray served the county for four years while Gary Polk served the county for just under two years. Mobray said he learned a lot from his four years including parts of the position of commissioner he didn’t even know existed. Polk also stated the job was very educational and he appreciated being given the opportunity to serve the public. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Mobray said the work crews would be servicing a grader to finish up the year. District 2, Commissioner Polk stated that rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 4370, while only grading would be done on county road 3180. He also said crews would be installing a spreader and plow on truck #116. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said the courthouse would be closed New Year’s Day. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the swearing in of the newly elected officers would be at 10:00 this morning in the courthouse in the courtroom. She also said she would be working on the budget that the county will begin working on in 2025. At the least meeting, Michael Smith with Hope Construction finished fixing the water leaks in the Judicial Building and County Annex Building. Mike Elliott from Town and Country Insurance came in with the new coverage form for the county auto and property insurance. The new annual premium is $268,539. The next meeting will be Thursday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

Over the Christmas 30-hour holiday counting period, three people died in traffic crashes between 6:00 Tuesday evening and 11:59 Christmas Night. The 2024 Christmas holiday traffic statistics show there 65 traffic crashes, 38 injuries, three fatalities and 17 DWI arrests. There were no boating crashes or drownings over the 2024 Christmas holiday counting period.

Colonel Eric T. Olson, the superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol who will be retiring February 1, 2025, after almost five years as superintendent and 34 years as a member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, encourages everyone to make good decisions regarding their New Year’s celebration. No one wants to start 2025 with a traffic crash or DWI arrest. During the 2023-2024 New Year’s period which was a 72-hour counting period, there were 821 traffic crashes with 293 traffic crash injuries, nine traffic crash fatalities, with the Missouri State Highway Patrol issuing 139 DWI incidents in Missouri. The 2024-2025 New Year’s holiday counting period begins at 6:00 Tuesday evening and ends at 11:59 Wednesday night, January 1st, 2025. If your plans to welcome the new year include alcohol, please designate a sober driver to ensure you arrive home safely. The roadway is no place for a driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If you kill or injure someone, you’ll pay the price for the rest of your life. If you plan to drive this New Year’s, remember to buckle up and make sure all your passengers do the same. Pay attention, obey all traffic laws, and when in doubt, yield the right-of-way. Be sure to use your turn signal to communicate your intentions. Download the MoDOT Traveler Information app to your smartphone, and check road conditions before you travel. Allow extra time during inclement weather or consider staying home. Missouri law states if you’re using your windshield wipers, your headlights must be turned on. The public is encouraged to call the Patrol’s Emergency Assistance Number (800) 525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone if they witness criminal activity or experience an emergency.

The Salem Board of Aldermen have called a special meeting of the board tonight at 5:30 at the Old City Hall Auditorium. At their meeting, the board will do the first and second reading of Bill #3636 that would approve the change order #2 for the City Sidewalk Tap Grant project. The cost of the change order is for $10,807 which 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 if MoDOT approves Change Order #2. The board will also discuss and hold the first and second readings of Bill #3637 that would amend items A and B from Section 710.330 regarding sewer billing to make these items applicable to all utility accounts, and remove items C, D, and E. The meeting will then be adjourned. The special meeting of the City of Salem Board of Aldermen tonight is open to the public. 

Filing for the April 8th Municipal Election is wrapping up, people can sign up for any open position through 5:00 tomorrow. Available positions in three alderman seats for the City of Salem with one two-year term for the East and West wards, plus a one-year unexpired term for the East Ward due to the resignation of Kala Sisco. Candidates for aldermen must be at least 21 years of age, be a U.S. citizen, and be a resident of the city for at least one year before the election in the ward in which they which to serve. Candidates may not be in arrears of any charges owed to the city and must be a registered voter. The filing fee is $25.00 and signups are held at the city administration building. The City of Bunker has two two-year positions available for alderman and signups are with the city clerk at the Bunker City Hall. There will three director positions open for the Salem Memorial Hospital with different service lengths. Available are a one-year term for the District 6 Director, a three-year term for the District 3 Director, and a full six-year term for the District 1 Director. Candidates must be 30 years of age, U.S. citizen, live in the election district of which they want to be a candidate and reside within the state for one-year preceding the election. Signups are in the hospital administration offices, where they have maps to help you determine in which district you reside. The Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees has one four-year term available, and filing can be done at the health center. For school boards, Salem R-80, Oak Hill R-1, Green Forest R-2, Dent-Phelps R-3, Northwood R-4 and the Bunker R-3 School District all have two three-year board positions available. School board members in Missouri must be a U.S. citizen, be at least 24 years old, a resident taxpayer of a district or voter, and be a resident of Missouri and their respective district for at least one year. Anyone wishing to sign up for a school board position must also be current on state and local taxes, have not been found guilty of or pled guilty to a felony under Missouri or federal law, have not registered or been required to register as a sex offender, and have filed required campaign documents for all previous campaigns, if any. Contact the school or taxing entity you are interested in serving to see when signups for the available positions are held at the individual offices. Signups end tomorrow no later than 5:00 and some offices may close earlier that day.

The Dent County Commission held their regular meeting Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk was not in attendance due to a previous commitment. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said crews would be repairing ruts in a driveway and adding material where needed. He also said they would be creating a list of all the culverts that have to replaced after the flood in November. He also said Jeff Banderet of Great Rivers Engineering is securing permits from the Department of Natural Resources for the county workers to access the creeks and streams for more repair work. Mobray said FEMA will NOT reimburse the county for any work done on roads or bridges without a permit, or any other work associated with a project IF a permit has not been secured. Mobray said workers in District 2 are servicing graders. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson had nothing to report, and Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she continues to work on the 2025 county budget. She said the courthouse would be closed New Year’s Day next Wednesday. She also wanted to remind all vendors to have their invoices and statements submitted by 9:00 Monday morning, December 30th, if they want to have them paid this year. Starting in January, the only payments the county can make is payroll until their budget is approved which must be done by February 1st. If you have questions, please contact the county clerk’s office at 729-4144. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk wanted to remind everyone her office will have extended hours for those wanting to pay their tax bills in person Friday, through Tuesday can do so from 8:00 in the morning until 5:30. Payments mailed in must be postmarked NO LATER than December 31st. She recommends if you wait until that day to take your envelope inside the post office to have it hand stamped at the window. There is also a drop box in the front of the courthouse at the southwest corner of the courthouse square where you can leave your payments through Tuesday night, December 31st. Payments can also be made online by following the instructions on your real estate and personal property tax bills. The last meeting of the year will be Monday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees met Thursday evening, December 19th at 5:00. Administrator Zach Moser presented the Service and Statistics report. In the Communicable Disease Report, he stated that due to the departure of the Communicable Disease Nurse there were no COVID-19,  lead, Influenza, or animal bite reports, however there were 10 screenings for sexually transmitted infections, but total tests were not reported. The environmental report by Assistant Administrator Roma Jones showed there where 8 total inspections conducted, no recalls, no sewer complaints, and 10 environmental questions were fielded. The Maternal-Child Health (MCH) statistics showed there was one car seat distributed, one CPR Course, no consultations for Childcare Health, no Show-Me Healthy Women appointments, 10 Title X appointments, 2 Presumptive Eligibility (Temporary Medicaid), and 324 WIC appointments. The Community-Specific Services Summary showed 820 total appointments other than WIC, 109 total provider appointments, 137 treatment court visits, 141 lab appointments and 177 immunization appointments. Nurse Practitioner Service Details showed no Show-Me Healthy Women appointments, 1 family planning, 1 well-child visit, 6 online appointments, no other well-woman exams, 20 other physicals, no SEMO physicals, 16 other visits, and 40 acute illness appointments. Laboratory details showed 158 individual patients, 9 appointments for Rapid Test for COVID, Flu, RSV or Strep, 2 pregnancy tests and no lead tests reported. Immunizations for November totaled 53 for COVID-19, 92 for Influenza, and 32 other vaccines given for a total of 177 total doses given. In the Administrator’s report, Moser reported that the Health Center Lead Assessor training has been completed and that community members can bring in items to be tested with the XRF scanner to see if they have lead. Moser went on to report that the Health Center would conduct a Health Fair May 2nd, 2025, plus the DCHC closed on the property at 1014 East Scenic Rivers Boulevard on December 2nd. Financial reports were reviewed and approved. In new business the Board approved the 2025 budget and an employee Tuition Reimbursement Policy. The Board went in to closed session at 6:00 and returned to open session at 7:24 having voted to approve the 2025 employee compensation adjustment of 4%, with instruction to the administrator to prepare for merit/evaluation-based raises in the next year. The Board also declined all proposals for design services due to the acquisition of 1014 East Scenic Rivers Boulevard and the desire to maintain financial prudence. The next regular meeting of the Board was set for Thursday, January 19th, 2025, at 5:00.

KSMO Media is proud to announce the winners of the Big Family Christmas Giveaway at Southtown Furniture and Terrill’s Complete Auto Care, and the Kid’s Christmas Giveaway at Aaron’s Rent-to-Own and Jet Tires and Auto. In the Big Family Christmas Giveaway, the winners of merchandise valued over $2,500 were Laylah McGraw at Southtown Furniture and Kate McBride at Terrill’s Complete Auto Care. The winner of Kids’ Christmas Giveaway was Becca Counts at Jet Tires and Auto, while Jonathan Stroot was the winner drawn at Aaron’s Rent-to-Own. KSMO Media congratulates these winners and thanks all those who entered the contest. They also want to thank this year’s sponsors for making it possible to hold these contests here in Salem. Merry Christmas to all from KSMO Media!

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will hold their regular meeting Monday evening at 7:00 in the hospital library. At the meeting, the Board will review and approve minutes from the October Special meeting and the November regular meeting, before they hear the report from CEO Brooke Bollman. The Board will then hear the summary of operations and statistics for the month of November, be updated on the 340B program, hear the Chief Nursing Officer report, and be updated on Human Resources before hearing a report on quality information. The Board will address old business followed by new business that includes candidate filing update, Finance Committee members, and Board meeting dates. The board may then vote to go into closed session. The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors meeting Monday night at 7:00 at the hospital library is open to the public. To attend the meeting electronically, contact the hospital administration office at 729-6626, extension 4005.

The Dent County Commission held their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said rock would be added and grading was being done on Dent County Roads 5150, 5170 and 5130; while only brush was going to be cut on county road 5600. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk stated rock would be added and grading was being done on Dent County Roads 4290 and 4340. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said the county needed to address available positions on the Enhanced Enterprise Zone Board that are five-year terms. Larson said both Dustin Howard and Daniel Salyer agreed to be re-appointed and the commission approved their re-appointment. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she continues to work on the 2025 county budget. She said the courthouse would be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. She also wanted to remind all vendors to have their invoices and statements submitted Monday morning, December 30th, if they want to have them paid this year. Starting in January, the only payments the county can make is payroll until their budget is approved. If you have questions, please contact the county clerk’s office at 729-4144. At 10:00, bids were opened for county surplus property. Billy Shepherd had the highest bid for the 1997 Dodge 1500 4×4 pickup at $1,226, and $75 for the air compressor. Jason Akins had the high bid for the Salt Dog Salt Spreader at $500. Mike Elliott from Town and Country Insurance was in to review vehicle and building coverage for the county as the commissioners have elected to reduce the coverage on all the older road and bridge department and other county vehicles to liability only to help save some money. This does NOT include any of the sheriff’s department vehicles. The commission also doubled the coverage from $50,000 to $100,000 on the contents of the road and bridge department building. Elliott will make the requested changes to help reduce the premium that came in at $272,000 from Tokio Marine HCC. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and it will be open to the public.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows deer hunters harvested 14,607 deer during the late antlerless portion of firearms deer season, December 7th through 15th. Top harvest counties were Pike with 477 deer harvested, Callaway with 391, and Lincoln with 382. In our area Crawford County harvest was 110, Dent 125, Maries 86, Phelps 79, Reynolds County 66, Shannon County harvest total was 80, and Texas County totaled 147. This year’s harvest total was down from last year’s late antlerless portion harvest total of 18,916 and slightly (4%) below the previous five-year average. For current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county, and type of deer, visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov. Archery deer hunting continues through January 15th, 2025. The alternative methods portion will run December 28th through January 7th, 2025. Get more information on Missouri deer hunting from online at mdc.mo.gov.

Relative to the fire on Tuesday that destroyed the Scenic Rivers Industries, investigators say the cause of the massive fire that destroyed the recycling facility and over 130 bags of toys is undetermined. Firefighters do not believe the fire is suspicious. A spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Public Safety mistakenly told KY3 News midday on Friday that the fire had become a criminal investigation. KY3 has updated the story online to reflect the mistake.

The Salem R-80 School Board of Education held their regular meeting on Thursday evening at 5:30 in the district office. After approving the agenda and consent agenda, the Board recognized six students from the Salem Upper Elementary School who had their artwork chosen for the art show. Assistant Superintendent Dan Copeland updated the board on the performance results. The overall test score for the district is 78.7 APR, which is up from last year’s results, and above the state’s average. The Salem R-80 district has also seen substantial improvements in math and is up two points on attendance scores. Superintendent Nathan Wills gave an update on the FEMA shelter construction and stated that some of the principals attended the West Plains job fair, to make connections and meet people that may be interested in coming to Salem. During the administration reports, Dr. Blau stated that the students at William Lynch Elementary were able to provide Christmas for twelve families and with the help of Oak Grove Baptist Church, passed out twenty food baskets, thanks to their Community Benevolence program. Mr. Piatt stated that thanks to various donors from the community the Upper Elementary was able to provide Christmas for eight families. Dr. Green stated that the students at the Salem Middle School decided to donate $300, the proceeds from ticket sales of their winter dance, to the Shelter Workshop. Mrs Heavin stated that Salem High School allows students who have at least 95% attendance and no in-school or out-of-school suspensions the option to opt out of one of their finals. This semester, there were 400 students that qualified for final exemptions. Two students from the High School updated the Board on their attendance at the Missouri Association of Student Council Meeting. The Board approved the 2025-2026 tuition rate of $9,775.00. After discussing the recent resignations and new hires, the meeting adjourned to closed session.

An accident occurred Friday morning at 7:20 on County Road 8360, one mile west of Highway 63. According to the Highway Patrol report a 2007 Jeep Liberty, driven by a 26-year-old Licking female, crossed the center line and struck a 2012 Ford Escape, driven by a 73-year-old Rolla female. The Licking female suffered moderate injuries and was transported by Phelps Health Ambulance to Phelps Health. The Rolla female suffered minor injuries and was transported by a private conveyance to an unknown hospital. The report stated that the 26-year-old female was not wearing a safety device, while the 73-year-old woman was. Both vehicles were totaled and removed from the scene by C & C Towing.

Dent County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Curley released this court case on Wednesday December 18, Tristan Gaddy of Salem, was on probation for possession of a controlled substance, meth. He originally pled guilty in March of 2022. His probation was extended by 1 year in 2024 due to violations of probation. On Wednesday December 18, 2024 the defendant was again found to have violated probation. Prosecutor Curley sought revocation under 559.115. Gaddy sought continued probation with in-patient treatment at Teen Challenge. Over the objection of the state, the defendant will continue on probation by Judge Randazzo.

There will be no Your World Today tomorrow or on Christmas Day. From All of us a KSMO Radio, KSMO Media, and Your World Today, we wish you a very merry Christmas and safe holiday travels.

Dent County Commission held their regular meeting Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Rick Emory, Sr was in attendance to comment on the poor condition and culvert problem with Dent County Road 5130 as well as work that needs to be done on county roads 5150 and 5170. District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said the county is getting to all the roads affected by the heavy rains making sure they are “passable,” not in pristine condition. In the road report, Mobray stated rock would be added and grading was being done on Dent County Roads 6245 and 6460. For District 2, Commissioner Gary Polk stated grading was being done on Dent County Roads 2090, 3170, 3173, 5320 and 5325. He said rock would be added to county roads 2210 and 4030. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he attended the Tourism Tax Meeting Monday night where three applications were submitted, and one was denied. He said there were four reimbursements approved. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she continues to work on the 2025 county budget. Larson talked with the commission about a new policy for county office holders and their employees on submitting a grant request. The policy says they must bring a request to apply for the grant to an open commissioner meeting and continue to update the commission on its progress in open meetings. The signing of any grant awarded with commission approval must be at an open session of a commission meeting with the submission of all appropriate grant paperwork. This policy is being adopted to make sure the commission is aware of possible grant awards and timing of those awards that will have to be accounted for in current or future county budgets. Commissioner Larson also announced that all Rural Addressing correspondence will go to the Sheriff’s Department Dispatch office located at the back of the Judicial Building at 112 E. 5th Street starting January 1st, 2025. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported on the CART tax received for the month of December. The county received $92,239.35, and the CART funds year-to-date are 5.6% more than last year’s total. Commissioner Gary Polk wanted to express his concern about people posting misinformation on Facebook about what the county is and is not doing without having all the facts. As an example, county road employees cannot grade frozen roads and may have to wait some time that day before they begin grading the road, or they are waiting for the grader to warm up before being operational. He said it is not fair comments are made by people without knowing everything required by the job or conditions that can prohibit work being completed. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The City of Salem has announced the participants in this year’s Holiday Lighting Contest. The contest was open to both residential and commercial properties, encouraging those to show festive displays that celebrate the spirit of the holidays. This year’s participants are located at 1104 North Main Street, 600 North 10th Street, 711 North Pershing Avenue, 1106 Bay Court, 403 East Scenic Rivers Blvd, 1401 South Louise Street and 13 Westwood Drive. The winners will be announced on December 27th. Winning entries in each category will receive credits on their City Utility bills starting with $25 for 3rd Place, $50 for 2nd Place and $100 for 1st Place. Funds for contest awards come from the Community Support line in the City’s General Fund.

The Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit volunteer bell ringers will begin raising funds for those in need at Country Mart and Wal-Mart every Friday and Saturday through December 24th. Counter kettles will also be located throughout the community. The kettles are the primary way funds are raised locally to continue to meet the needs of the less fortunate in our community. For those who do not want to handle cash, you can donate digitally with Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo at any Red Kettle. Every donation helps hope march on for those in need, and all gifts stay within the community in which they are given. If you would like to volunteer to ring the famous Salvation Army bell, please call Susie at 729-6771 or 247-7099. You can also call the Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit office at 729-8163.

Holiday celebrations often center around the Christmas tree. Picking the right tree and caring for it properly can ensure a safer, longer-lasting tree. These simple steps show you how. Make sure that the tree you select is fresh. To test freshness, gently shake one of the tree’s branches. It is normal for a few needles to fall, but if an excessive amount of green needles fall, it is a sign that the tree is not fresh. As an alternative to a cut tree, consider purchasing a live evergreen from your local nursery or garden center. Not only will it make a beautiful Christmas tree, you also can plant it in your yard after the season and enjoy it for many holidays to come. If you’re considering a live tree for Christmas, proper planning is essential. Remember water is the single most important factor in caring for your Christmas tree. A fresh tree that is kept in water should last four to five weeks. And don’t place your tree near a heating vent, wood stove, or fireplace, as this tends to dry the tree out. Ensure that your tree is secured in a sturdy tree stand away from high traffic areas and sources of open flames, such as candles and fireplaces. Check to see that all lights have cords that are not worn or frayed, and never leave home or go to bed with the Christmas tree lights on. When the holidays are over, you can place the tree in the backyard to offer cover for wildlife, or under bird feeders to provide nesting locations in the branches. Your tree can be shredded or chipped for mulch, or you can sink it in a pond to enhance fish habitat. If you used a live evergreen and your ground is still soft enough to spade up, add it to your home landscape for years of enjoyment and wildlife cover.

Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk said her office in the Dent County Courthouse will have extended hours for those wanting to pay their tax bills in person starting Friday, December 27th and continuing through Tuesday, December 31st from 8:00 in the morning until 5:30. She reminded everyone that the post office is only open until noon on Saturday, December 28th. Payments mailed in must be postmarked NO LATER than December 31st. She recommends if you wait until that day to take your envelope inside the post office to have it hand stamped at the window. There is also a drop box in the front of the courthouse at the southwest corner of the courthouse square where you can leave your payments through Tuesday night, December 31st. Payments can also be made online by following the instructions on your real estate and personal property tax bills.

The Healthy Dent County Fitness Center is excited to ring in the New Year with a special bonus fitness class designed to jump-start your fitness goals in 2025! Starting on January 6th they’re offering a limited-time Armory X Fitness Class featuring CrossFit-style workouts under the expert guidance of Eric Metcalf, a local instructor, teacher, and assistant football coach at Salem R-80 School District. This class is a high-intensity, coach-led workout that incorporates constantly varied functional movements like bodyweight exercises designed to develop broad physical capabilities including strength, power, endurance, agility, and coordination, all while being scalable to different fitness levels through modifications and proper coaching; typically featuring a warm-up, skill development, a “Workout of the Day” (WOD), and a cool-down, with the WOD often scored to track progress and encourage competition. This energizing class will be held every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evening at 5:15 PM throughout the month of January at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. The cost is $35 for Healthy Dent County Fitness Center members or $60 for non-members. For those who aren’t yet members, there is a membership special at just $24.75 for a full membership! Becoming a member will grant you access to the Armory X Fitness class where you get both a membership and this class for $60.00. Spaces for this class are limited to the first 20 registrants, so we encourage you to act quickly to secure your spot. Registration must be completed and paid in full before your spot is confirmed. You can register by calling 573-739-1127 or email susie@salemcommunitycenter.org.

Montauk State Park will be closed to guests until at least February 21st, 2025. Park crews are actively assessing safety concerns and addressing damage to park infrastructure caused by early November flooding. The extent of the destruction and the work required to reopen the park is substantial. While the park remains closed to the public, the Missouri Department of Conservation announced that winter catch-and-release trout season remains open at Roaring River and Bennett Spring state parks and Maramec Spring Park. When heavy equipment use is complete, opportunities for volunteer cleanup efforts may become available. If you are interested in helping, please email dspvolunteercoordinator@dnr.mo.gov. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com.

A devastating fire destroyed the Sheltered Workshop in Salem yesterday, leaving employees and community members stunned by the loss. The workshop, which mostly employs individuals with special needs, lost not only its facility but also approximately $13,000 worth of toys that were collected throughout the year and prepared for distribution to approximately 130 local children. Community members not only in Salem and Dent County; but neighboring communities poured in their support to replenish the lost toys. In less than 11 hours The Dent County Toy Drive reported on their Facebook page that not only had they been able to replace all of the toys lost in the fire, but were overwhelmed with donations. In a post they stated that they’ve been inundated with an outpouring of love and support. The toy distribution day has been postponed to Monday as volunteers need extra time to sort through all the donations and reorganize gifts for each child. With their financial and toy needs met they announced that any excess will be used in future toy drives. They are urging anyone that still wants to donate to please direct your generosity to Scenic Rivers Industries. To donate online you can go to PayPal.com/fundraiser/hub and search for Salem Area Community Betterment Association. Monetary donations are also being accepted at The Bank of Salem and The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce is accepting monetary donations, shelf stable foods, and toiletries for Scenic River Industries and their employees. The Chamber is located in the Crossroads Shopping Center at 1136 S Main Street in Salem.

The Dent County Sheriff’s office released some reports for the 2nd week of December. First on Sunday December 8th deputies took a report for an assault that occurred in the 1800 block of W. Highway 32. The investigation revealed that a 28-year-old Salem man was struck by a 28-year-old Salem woman. The investigation is ongoing. The next day Monday December 9th deputies conducted a traffic stop at Doss Rd. and E. Highway 32. During the course of the stop, a 42-year-old Salem man was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. The suspect was transported to the Dent County Jail and placed on a 24 hour hold pending issuance of formal charges. Then on Tuesday December 10th deputies responded to the unit block of County Road 6080 for a reported trespassing complaint. During the course of the investigation, a 43-year-old Salem man was arrested for violation of an ex-parte order of protection. The suspect was transported to the Dent County Jail and placed on a 24 hour hold pending issuance of formal charges. The following day Wednesday December 11th deputies conducted a traffic stop on W. Highway 32 near the Ranch Motel. During the course of the stop, the operator, a 31-year-old Salem man was found to be driving with a revoked driving privilege and no valid insurance. The investigation is ongoing. If you have any information on an ongoing investigation please contact the Sheriff’s office at 573-729-3241.

The Missouri Conservation Commission met December 12th for a closed executive session, and December 13th for its regular open meeting, both at the Missouri Department of Conservation St. Louis Regional Office in St. Charles. Among other items discussed, the commission approved recommendations to set season dates for each portion of the 2025-2026 firearms deer hunting season and recommendations to modify cervid carcass transport regulations and establish cervid carcass disposal regulations. They also approved recommendations to establish season dates and limits for the 2025 Missouri Spring Turkey Hunting seasons and regulation recommendations for conservation areas and managed hunts. The commission approved the advertisement and sale of an estimated 1,272,028 board feet of timber located on 586 acres of Compartment 33 of the Angeline Conservation Area in Shannon County. They also approved the advertisement and sale of an estimated 6,386,003 board feet of timber located on 1,375 acres of Compartment 22 in the Current River Conservation Area in Shannon and Reynolds County. They then set their next meeting for February 7th.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to remind the public that driver examination stations throughout the state will be closed during the holidays starting with the Christmas closure Tuesday, December 24th at 12 noon and Wednesday, December 25th. Normal operations will resume on Thursday, December 26th. New Year’s Day closure will be Wednesday, January 1 with normal operations resuming on Tuesday, January 2, 2025. For more news, follow the Missouri State Highway Patrol on X @MSHPTrooperGHQ

The Salem R80 Board of Education will hold their regular meeting Thursday evening at 5:30 in the R80 Board Room. After the call to order and approval of the agenda will be recognition of Upper Elementary students and their artwork exhibit from the art show. During the Superintendent’s report CSIP Goals will be addressed in all reports, plus Mr. Copeland will present the APR Review. Administrator reports will be heard from William Lynch, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Athletics and Activities, Special Education, Technology, and Maintenance. In new business the 2025-2026 Tuition Rate is to be approved. The Board will consider resignations, hires, and transfers, followed by adjournment and moving into Executive Session to consider Student Issues and Personnel. The regular meeting of the Salem R80 Board of Education is open to the public. 

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray was not in attendance due to a previous commitment. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk gave the District 1 report and said the crew is checking roads and training a new employee on the brush cutter. In District 2, Polk said a crew would be changing the oil in pickup #82, then checking the battery on another truck before doing general maintenance on yet another truck. He also said a crew would be cleaning out a pipe on Dent County Road 3170 and installing a new sign on county road 2200. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson attended a Transportation Advisory Committee meeting and an MRPC meeting last Thursday in St. James. In the TAC meeting, Larson stated Dent County received the highest points in each category on the MODOT priorities list. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported she attended a South Central Clerk’s Regional meeting last Friday. The next meeting will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors at their meeting Tuesday evening, December 10th, reviewed the annual fire district incident report.  The annual reimbursement report showed a total of 233 calls for the fiscal year from December 1, 2023, to November 30th, 2024. Those calls included 87 fires making up 37.33% of all calls and they were comprised of 17 grass or brush fires, 22 building fires, 19 forest or woodland fires, one mobile home fire, six outdoor rubbish or trash fires, two natural vegetation fires, eight passenger vehicle fires, two transport vehicle fires, three fires classified as other, and seven other types of fires. The fire department responded to 27 accident calls, 25 medicals assist or emergency calls, 23 alarms sounding calls, 15 hazardous material calls, seven agency assist calls, two rescue calls, five utility problem calls, eight public service calls and one smoke investigation. The fire department also had nine calls canceled while en route to a destination. 

The Meramec Regional Planning Commission’s Sub-District Coalition for Roadway Safety Subcommittee will be meeting on Friday, December 20th with lunch at 11:30 followed by the Meeting from 12:00 noon until 1:30 at the MRPC offices. The subcommittee will hear an overview from Central District Safety Engineer, Trent Brooks from the Department of Transportation, about the coalition before they review the fatality reports from across the state and Meramec Region. The subcommittee will be addressing ATV/UTV incidents among young operators with Ellen Duysen, who is a Research Assistant Professor from the College of Public Health Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health. She will discuss the growing need for outreach concerning ATV/UTV safety especially regarding children and how dangerous these machines can be especially for those who the unit is not built for. The subcommittee will then hear and overview of Missouri Strategic Highway Safety Plan from Joseph Jones, an Assistant State Highway Safety and Traffic Engineer, who will discuss the importance of having a plan of this type. The MRPC Roadway Safety Program Review will then be heard with Mag Roberts reporting on the docudrama Planning; then Caitlin Jones will report on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, the Buckle Buddy/Arrive Alive Efforts, and the Project Graduation/Docudrama Grant Application. After reports and comments are heard from the Central District, Missouri State Highway Patrol, MRPC, and other partners attending, the meeting will be adjourned. For more information on the meeting, to verify your attendance at the meeting, or to get Zoom information, contact Caitlin Jones at (573) 265-2993 Ext. 125.

Taum Sauk has granted the City of Bunker another grant for their park. The city crews will be removing the gazebo and placing a pavilion on a concrete floor, sidewalks for handicap accessibility, and metal picnic tables. The City of Bunker is so appreciative that the Taum Sauk Foundation is funding this project. The park has been a HUGE asset to their community. They look forward to getting started on this park improvement project!

The Salem Community Choir will present “What Sweeter Music,” a festival of carols on Friday evening, December 20th at 7:00 and again on Sunday afternoon, December 22nd at 2 pm. Both performances will be held at the Dry Fork Church off Route F in Salem. The performance features well known carols and various soloists and is under the direction of Catherine Dent. Refreshments will be served following both performances.