Your World Today

An accident occurred Sunday morning around 2:40 in Texas County on Route N about seven miles northwest of Licking. According to the highway patrol report, a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic driven by 23-year-old Brett Lewis of Licking, was traveling northbound at a high rate of speed, ran off the roadway, and struck a fence and a tree. Lewis suffered minor injuries and his passenger, 22-year-old Shakirah Williams of Licking. suffered serious injuries. They were both transported to the Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston by the Texas County Memorial Ambulance. The report goes on to say that neither injured party was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Chevrolet was totaled and removed from the scene by Jay’s Wrecker in Houston.

An accident occurred Friday evening around 9:30 in Dent County on Highway 19 about six miles south of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer driven by a 16-year-old male juvenile from Salem, was traveling southbound and fell asleep at the wheel. The Chevrolet traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. The juvenile suffered minor injuries and was transported by a private vehicle to seek medical treatment. The Chevrolet was totaled and was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen in closed session on Tuesday, March 19th, approved the mayoral appointment of Steve Paine as the new Public Works Director for the City of Salem. The vote was 4-0.

The Salem Police Department has released their report for the month of February. The department responded to 11 accidents during the month. Officers also responded to threealarms sounding and addressed 19 animal calls. Officers investigated five assaults or fights, five burglaries, performed 10 well being checks and nine area checks during the month. The department investigated 14 domestic disputes, seven verbal disturbances, conducted 42 follow-up investigations and provided 19 escorts. They investigated a nuisance violation, four reports of fraud, took a missing persons report, and offered assistance to two motorists. The Salem Police wrote a property damage report during February, plus made ten stealing reports and responded to nine traffic complaints. Officers investigated two sex offense charges, 14 suspicious circumstance calls, 11 suspicious person calls and four suspicious vehicle calls. Officers responded to a trespassing call and attempted to serve 13 warrants in February. Officers conducted 48 traffic stops during the month. The police responded to a total of 403 incidents in February with the average response time to calls being one minute and 37 seconds. The average time spent on the scene was 20 minutes and 34 seconds.

The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) thank the thousands of Missouri deer hunters who donated 247,575 pounds of venison to the state’s Share the Harvest program this past deer season, including 5,394 whole deer. MDC and CFM also thank the participating meat processors throughout the state who grind the donated deer meat into ready-to-use packages, and the many sponsors who financially support the program. The donated deer meat goes to local food banks and food pantries to help feed hungry Missourians all around the state. Meat-processing fees are covered entirely or in part by numerous local sponsors, along with statewide sponsors that include Shelter Insurance, Bass Pro Shops, Feeding Missouri, and MDC. Share the Harvest is coordinated by MDC and CFM and has been helping feed hungry Missourians for more than 30 years. Since the program was started in 1992, it has provided about 5 million pounds of lean, healthy venison to help feed hungry Missourians. To get Share the Harvest venison, contact local food banks or food pantries. The donated venison stays in the local areas where the deer were harvested so it truly is helping out neighbors in need. The National Institutes of Health state that children need protein in their diets for proper growth and development, and adults need it to maintain good health. Yet many Missourians can’t afford or can’t get to good sources of protein. Through Share the Harvest, Missouri hunters can help provide those in need with high-quality protein in the form of naturally lean, locally harvested deer meat.

Coming to the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center on Highway 19 starting Saturday, March 23rd and lasting through May the 5th, is the exhibit called “Crossroads: Change in Rural America.” This exhibit offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred. Despite the massive economic and demographic impacts brought on by these changes, America’s small towns continue to creatively focus on new opportunities for growth and development. Economic innovation and a focus on the cultural facets that make small towns unique, comfortable, and desirable have helped many communities create their own renaissance. The future is bright for much of rural America as small towns embrace the notion that their citizens and their cultural uniqueness are important assets. The “Crossroads” exhibit is part of the “Museum on Main Street,” a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils nationwide. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.

An accident happened Wednesday evening just before 8:30 in Reynolds County on Reynolds County Road 906. According to the highway patrol report, a 2000 Ford tractor being operated by 48-year-old James Dorris of Bunker, was traveling uphill on private property when a mechanical failure happened causing the tractor to overturn. A passenger on the tractor, 50-year-old Shelly Hodge of Viburnum, suffered serious injuries and was taken by Phelps Air to the Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. The tractor had minor damage and was left at the residence at the owners request.

An accident happened Wednesday afternoon just before 3:20 in Crawford County on Interstate 44 westbound at the 215.6 mile-marker. According to the highway patrol report, a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado being driven by 50- year-old Jennifer Stevens of Steelville, had a tire blowout causing the Silverado to travel off the right side of the roadway and overturn. Stevens, along with two passengers in the vehicle from Steelville, 18-year-old Amber Dodson and 18-year-old Tiffany Stevens, suffered minor injuries. Jennifer Stevens and Dodson were taken by Missouri Baptist EMS to the Missouri Baptist Hospital. Tiffany Stevens was transported by North Crawford EMS to St. Louis. The Silverado was totaled and removed from the scene by Patriot’s Towing. The report went on to state that neither the driver or the two passengers were wearing seat restraints.

A one vehicle accident happened Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 in Reynolds County on Reynolds County Road 752 just west of Route Y. The highway patrol report states that a 1995 Ford Ranger being driven by 28-year-old Zachery Prater of Viburnum, was traveling east bound when he lost control of the Ford, then overcorrected and ran off the right side of the roadway and overturned. A passenger in the vehicle, 22-year-old Alexis Setzer of Davisville, suffered serious injuries and was taken by Reynolds County EMS to Ellington where she was then transported to a St. Louis hospital by Lifenet 24. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Aissie Towing. Neither Prater or Setzer were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5600 and 6080, and a truck was going to be taken to Columbia for maintenance. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk stated grading would be done on county roads 2090, 3160 and 4330 while brush would be cut on county road road 4020. A truck from his district was being taken to Springfield to have maintenance performedon it. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson reported he attended an MRPC meeting last Thursday and on Tuesday, he attended a Solid Waste Management District meeting in St. James. Larson along with Treasurer Denita Williams and Deputy Rick Letchworth attended an opioid fund meeting at the MRPC offices. Treasurer Williams gave the report on the CART tax money received in March which came to $70,787.89 and the county is up .76% for the year. It was reported the courthouse will be closed on Good Friday which is March 29th. Brian Williams from McCoy Forestry and Construction visited with the commission about a backhoe. William Terry from the National Park Service called the commission and told them the plan was still to place the boulders at TanVat. He also said work was going to be done on the parking lot and the parks service was going to put in a circle drive. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday at 9:00 and the meeting will be open to the public.

The Salem Memorial Hospital regular board meeting was held Tuesday evening in the hospital library. In the Administrator’s Report, Interim CEO Jason Edwards reported that Amber Hogan has been hired as the new Emergency Medical Service Director, and Chantel Garrison has been hired as the TorRCH program manager. Lisa Delany will be retiring at the end of March and Misty Atchley has been hired to replace her. The board received the official 2023 audit report from FORVIS. Edwards said a “meet and greet” for the Delta Project is tentatively set for April 23rd and the 9th annual Hospital Foundation Golf Tournament will be held June 9th. In the summary of operations for February, Chief Financial Officer Doug Hoban reported the hospital had a loss from operations of $290,358 with an excess of expenses over revenues of $160,298. The hospital showed an increase in cash of $21,120 which is the third straight month that cash on hand has increased. Hoban reported hospital admissions in February were 86 which included eight Swingbed and 30 observation admissions with a total of 301 patient census days. In February, there were 1,366 Outpatient Registrations, 2,017 Cardiopulmonary Procedures, 6,222 Lab Tests, 1,195 Radiology Procedures, 628 Rehabilitation Treatments and 39 Surgical Procedures. There were 607 Emergency Room visits with 65 patients being admitted. A total of 188 ambulance runs were made with 134 patients being transported. Hoban said days cash on hand at the end of February was 23. The clinic showed a net loss of $23,884 for the month, but has showed a $77,389 profit for the fiscal year The 340B plan showed revenues over expenses of $47,007 and the hospital converted three CDs worth $400,000 with an interest rate of .07% to 5.05% for nine months. Chief Nursing Officer Ashley Owen said there still is a need for five full time night time nurses. She said the hospital was represented at the ECC Rolla Career Fair for RN, LPN, Radiology Techs and Surgery Tech students. The hospital is also in the early stages of planning and implementing the Annual Nursing Skills Lab. In Human Resources, the hospital hired three new people in February and six employees left. In the Chief of Staff’s report, the doctors approved the Medical Staff Bylaws with no changes before they approved updated Critical Lab values. Administrator Edwards said the state funding the hospital expected to receive has been delayed again, this time by a Department of Health glitch. They have contacted Representative Copeland for his assistance in getting the matter straightened out. A tentative strategic planning update has been scheduled for May 10th with department leaders, med staff, administration and board members. The board approved the bid from Commercial Bus and Vehicle, LLC for an old hospital ambulance for $2,013. The board then went into closed session.

An accident occurred in Dent County Wednesday morning at 9:40 on Highway 68 and Route U. According to the highway patrol report, an eastbound 2017 Freightliner, operated by 57-year-old Mohamed Gelle of Minneapolis, Minnesota, turned left into the path of a westbound 2005 Dodge Dakota driven by 43-year-old Vada Calkins of Salem. Calkins suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Salem Memorial Hospital. The report stated that both drivers were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Dodge was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing. The Freightliner sustained moderate damage and was driven from the scene.

A “Hoppy” Easter Paint Party will be held Friday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 at the Creative Arts Center at 204 South Main. Come and paint your very own Easter bunny!! This paint party is perfect for kids and adults alike! Kids under 5 must have an adult present! The cost is $10 for children and $20 for adults and that includes all the supplies. A minimum of six people need to register for the party to be held and it will be limited to 25 people. Register online at the SACBA website. Under programs, find the Creative Arts Center, and registrations are on a first come, first served basis.