Your World Today

During the week of January 21st to January 27th, there was a total of 113 calls to the Salem Police Department for service. Police officers conducted 11 traffic stops for various traffic violations with two resulting in a summons or arrest. There were no traffic accident investigations, but there were three informational reports. From the calls for service and traffic stops, a numer of reports were generated. On Sunday, January 22nd, at approximately 3:30 in the afternoon, officers contacted a male subject who had warrants out of the City of Salem for not appearing in court on the charge of property damage. As a result 62-year-old Calvin Fears of Salem, was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. That same night at approximately 11:30, officers were dispatched to the areas of Second and Hickory Streets for a report of burglary. It was reported the residents were away from home when someone broke in and stole approximately $2,200 worth of items from the home. This incident is still under investigation as some of the items have been located. Then on Monday, January 23rd, near 3:00 in the afternoon, officers contacted a woman who had warrants out of the City of Salem for not appearing in court on the charge of shoplifting. As a result 26-year old Tamera Halbrook of Salem, was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. On Thursday afternoon, January 26th around 12:30, officers contacted a male subject who had active warrants out of Dent County for failing to appear on a driving while having their license suspended charge. As a result 72-year-old Emanuel Moore of Salem, was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. That same night around 11:00, officers contacted a female subject during a burglary investigation who had active warrants for her arrest out of Dent County. As a result, 24-year old Phylicia Tinker of Salem, was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

Project RISE is a program that will help teach individuals to reach financial independence through support and education. This program, sponsored by Healthy Dent County, will help families reach personal and financial goals through employment and career development, time management, goal setting, relationship building, money management and community involvement. The objectives of Project RISE are to increase support systems, resources and community connections as well as providing education that will allow families to develop tools that can improve their financial health and empowerment. While enrolled, families can earn gift cards and other financial incentives, plus meals and childcare are provided during the meetings. The program is 16 weeks long and only 4-7 families will be selected. Families will meet weekly during the evening hours to focus on succeeding in life. Ms. Lacey Walker, Administrative Professional with Healthy Dent County, will serve as the coordinator for this program. 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.Applications are available at the Salem Community Center@The Armory office. 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.

The City of Salem’s Utility Committee will hold a meeting this evening at 6:15 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Items on the agenda to be discussed include City Budget 101, Sales Tax Presentation, Utility Financials, a complete breakdown of the Exceleron Pre-Pay System, Updates on Water and Electric Loss, and Per Unit or Meter Size fees. The meeting of the City of Salem’s Utility Committee tonight is open to the public and was called by Committee Chair Kyle Williams.

An accident happened Monday morning at 6:05 in Texas County near Licking that took the life of a man from Licking. According to the highway patrol report, 56-year-old Allen Long of Licking, was walking on Highway 32 in the westbound lane about a half of a mile from Licking, when he was struck in the roadway by a 2021 Peterbilt driven westbound by 48-year-old Dallas Southards of Salem. Long was pronounced dead at the scene by the Texas County Coroner Marie Lasater at 6:26 Monday morning. Long’s body was taken to the Fox Funeral Home in Licking. There was no damage to the Peterbilt and it was driven from the scene.

The Salem R-80 School Board met Thursday evening, where after approval of the agenda, the board moved into executive closed session to discuss personnel. During the closed session, the board approved the contract of Dr. Lynne Reed and approved the hiring of Kevin Miles as a teacher. Miles will also serve as head football coach and assistant athletic director. The board then returned to open session before they adjourned.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse for their regular meeting. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was not in attendance. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray as temporary Presiding Commissioner for the meeting. Mobray opended the meeting by stating there was a need to clarify some points that he and other elected officials felt were misrepresented by Skiles in his radio program on Friday. They said that as the preliminary budget was being readied for the general public with the 4% COLA increase across the board for all employees and elected officials on January 19th as approved at the salary commission meeting, Skiles did not object to the increase when asked before it was finalized. It wasn’t until the actual end of the budget hearing on Monday, January 30th, right before it was to be approved when Skiles said he was not in favor of the across the board percentage increase and suggested an alternative increase to employees and elected officials. When no one else supported his suggestion, Skiles voted against approving the budget. They also stated when Skiles refers to the salary commission meeting on November 17th that he could not attend due to a prior commitment, he could have asked for the meeting to be changed as another date was open, but he did not. Instead, he wrote a three page letter outlining finances of the county and the need to be frugal pending the outcome of the Department of Revenue’s sales tax debocle and the renovation work the county was committed doing to the courthouse. The elected officials in attendance did not like the fact in the letter their work was being compared to other counties elected officials or their work being compared to school instructors. Other elected officials attended the meeting including Collector Shannon VanKirk, Clerk Angie Curley, Treasurer Denita Williams, Assessor Jamie Homeyer and Commissioner Gary Larson as well as Mobray. They also said the issue over not closing the courthouse on Wednesday, January 25th, and how the employees were to be paid was a difference of opinion. In the road report, Mobray stated materials were going to be added and grading done on Dent County Road 5080 while only grading would be done on county roads 6255 and 6500. He also said brush would be cut on county road 5680. District 2 Commissioner Larson indicated materials would be added and grading done to Dent County Road 4280 while only grading was going to be done on county roads 4260, 6120, 6123, 6130 and 6160. Larson stated materials would be added to county road 4380 and brush was going to be cut on county roads 2165, 2593 and 2600. County Clerk Curley said absentee voting for the April Municipal Election will begin February 21st while voter registration for the election will begin March 8th. Curley said the courthouse would be closed on February 13th for Lincoln Day and also on Monday, February 20th for President’s Day. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and it is open to the public.

The Salem Area Arts Council will hold a “Couples and Singles Paint and Sip” event this Friday night at the Creative Arts Center in Salem. Paint a canvas of a young couple under a tree at sunrise, then on the other side of the tree, an older couple on a park bench representing the changing of the season. All supplies will be provided and all you need to bring is your bestie, snack and favorite beverage. There must be six people sign up to hold the class and the cost is $25 for singles and $40 for couples. To sign up, call or text 573-247-0651, or go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center.