Your World Today

The Salem Police Department has released the following report. On Tuesday evening, March 29th at approximately 8:53, officers were dispatched to the 300 block of East Truman for a domestic disturbance. It was reported that a male subject at the residence was being confrontational with neighbors and fighting with other people in the residence. Firearms were reported to be involved. Officers from the Salem Police Department arrived on the scene and attempted to secure a perimeter. While evacuating neighboring residences, the male approached the officers and shots were fired. The male then fled back into the residence at which time other agencies were called in to assist. Upon arrival of additional responding agencies, entry was made into the residence where the male subject was found deceased. In accordance with the policy of the Salem Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control has been contacted to investigate this matter.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking opportunities to partner with and support the efforts of natural resource conservation partners in Missouri. The overall intent is to solicit partnerships which help provide education and technical assistance to agricultural producers utilizing USDA-NRCS programs. Activities may include assisting landowners with development and implementation of conservation plans and beneficial conservation practices, development of conservation partnerships, assisting urban agricultural producers, and efforts to educate Missouri’s farm community, private landowners, conservation organizations, cooperating agencies, and general citizenry. Proposals will be accepted for projects performed in Missouri and focus on Farm Bill conservation. Research proposals will not be accepted, nor considered. The NRCS anticipates the amount available for support of these programs in Fiscal Year 2022 will be approximately $500,000. Agreements awarded in pursuant to this funding opportunity may be 1 to 3 years in duration. Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 10:59 pm Central Time on Monday, April 4th. The agency anticipates making selections by May 1st, 2022 and expects to execute awards by September 15, 2022. These dates are estimates and are subject to change. To learn more about or apply, visit https://go.usa.gov. For more information, call the USDA Service Center in Houston at 417-967-2028 or in Rolla at in Rolla at 364-2088

The Salem Community Garden will be offering a variety of Growing Green Educational Workshops from April to October. The garden is a place for residents to grow and harvest healthy food for their families, friends, or to donate to those in need. Watch the garden bulletin board and the Salem Community Garden Facebook page for additional special events throughout the season. The first Workshop will be Saturday morning April 9th at 9:00. Plots are available at the Salem Community Garden and the first plot is FREE! If you would like to register for a plot, volunteer at the garden, or have any questions, contact Charlie Grimm at 573-368-9902 or Sarah Masengale at 729-3196. Workdays at the garden as well as your chance to ask Master Gardeners questions will be held the third Saturday of every month from 10:00 until 11;00 in the morning. The Salem Community Garden is located behind the Salem Methodist Church at 801 East Scenic Rivers Blvd.

MU Extension’s new Freezer Meal Solutions course invites locals of all skill levels into the kitchen. The interactive cooking class, taught by registered dietitian Rachel Buenemann and scheduled for five Tuesday evenings starting April 5th and lasting through May 3rd from 5:00 to 7:00 at The Salem Community Center@ The Armory, will take home-cooks through each stage of the prep., freezing, and cooking process for flavor packed freezer meals. Participants will practice time saving measures of bulk meal preparation and planning. Recipes will incorporate a variety of fresh, canned, or previously frozen ingredients just like a real home kitchen. The Freezer Meal Solutions program is hosted by MU Extension with support from the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District to instruct on key skills of food waste management through food preservation techniques. The course also supports healthy life choices. Attendees will receive a four-portion take-home meal each class composed of that lesson’s recipes. Participants will also receive an activity guide featuring key freezer-meal and waste reduction tips taught in class. The class is $40.00 per person and the class is filing up fast!! If you are interested, call the Dent County Extension at 573-729-3196. If you need accommodations to attend this course, please contact the Dent County Extension Center.

The City of Salem Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustments will be holding a public meeting this evening at 6:30 at the City Hall Council Chambers at 202 North Washington to consider a request for a variance from the city Code of Ordinances regarding height restriction. The board will consider a proposed 85-foot sign to be located at 1103 South Main at the Mobil-Dirt Cheap location owned by Greg Portell. The Salem Code of Ordinances does not allow for a structure to exceed 60-feet. The meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened in Phelps County around midnight Monday night on Phelps County Road 3410 near county road 3520. According to the highway patrol report, 50-year-old Dale Hayes of St. James was driving a YCF Dirt Buke southbound when he traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned, ejecting Hayes from the dirt bike. Hayes suffered serious injuries and was transported to Phelps Health in Rolla. He was not wearing protective gear at the time of the accident. The dirt bike was removed by the owner with minor damage.

An accident happened in Texas County on Highway 137 about two miles south of Licking Monday afternoon around 5:15. According to the highway patrol report, a 2002 Ford F-150 driven southbound by 56-year-old Glenda Sellars of Licking, turned into the path of a 2020 Kawasaki EX400 GJ driven by 26-year-old Collin Floyd of Houston, Missouri. Floyd suffered serious injuries and was flown by the Phelps Regional Air Ambulance to Mercy Hospital. Floyd was wearing protective gear at the time of the accident. The Kawasaki sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Jay’s Automotive while the Ford F-150 had minor damage and was driven from the scene.

An accident occurred Monday afternoon at 12:03 in Phelps County on eastbound I-44 at the 193-mile marker. According to the highway patrol report, a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, driven by 24-year-old Edward Courtway of Rolla, traveled off the left side of the roadway, struck the guard rail, became airborne, and came to rest in the westbound lanes. Courtway suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Phelps Health in Rolla by EMS. It was unknown whether Courtway was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Hyundai was totaled and removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing.

The Missouri Department of Conservation invites people to celebrate the value of Missouri trees and forests during Arbor Days in April by planting native trees and practicing proper tree care. Missouri Arbor Day is Friday, April 1st. Missouri has been observing the state’s official Arbor Day on the first Friday in April since 1886 when the General Assembly declared that day be set aside for the appreciation and planting of trees. National Arbor Day is recognized on the last Friday of April, which is April 29th this year. Get information on backyard tree care, including types of trees for urban and other landscapes, selecting the right tree for the right place, planting tips, watering and pruning info, and more at mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/tree-care. The MDC George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking offers a variety of low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, and wildlife food and cover. Orders are accepted to April 15th. For more info, visit mdc.mo.gov/seedlings. Communities around the state also hold local Arbor Day activities. For more information on Arbor Day and Missouri’s Tree City USA communities, visit the Arbor Day Foundation at arborday.org. Missouri forests cover about one-third of the state and provide outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, natural beauty, and watersheds for stream and rivers. Spending time in Missouri forests can provide a natural health benefit, too. Exposure to nature contributes to physical well-being, reducing blood pressure and heart rate, relieving stress, and boosting energy levels.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse for their regular meeting. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams shared with the commission the amount of CART funds received by the county this month. Williams said the county received $54,803.50 while for the same time period last year, the county received $53,437.66. That comes to an increase in 2022 of $1,365.84. Year-to-date, the CART funds are up $18,272.01. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2470, 5110 and 5610. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and grading done on county roads 4370, 4380, 6130 and 6140 while only grading would be done on county road 6160. Larson went on to say brush would be cut on county roads 5260 and 6140 while workers would be repairing a wire on truck #1167 and a hydraulic line on tractor #9. Larson also said a crew would be going to St. James today to get the dump truck which was repaired. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said on Wednesday he would be attending a CCAM executive committee board meeting to review legislative issues before going to Jefferson City to visit with legislators. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported absentee voting continues at her office this week and on April 4th until 5:00. She also said her office will also be open from 8:00 in the morning until noon Saturday for absentee voting. At 10:00 Monday morning, the commission opened bids for a 2011 Dodge Charger that was property of the Dent County Sheriff’s Department that had over 149,000 miles on it. One bid was received from Bonita Bailey for $2,000 and the bid was accepted by the commission. Bids were also opened for grader blades for the county. They received four bids. They were from: Woolf Equipment for $9,845,00, Viebrock Sales & Service for $14,225.00, McCoy Construction for $16,460.59 and Fabick Cat for $8,949.00. The commission agreed to go with the low bid from Fabick Cat. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is now testing for new troopers. The Patrol is encouraging qualified individuals of all backgrounds to apply and will offer testing at nine different locations in Missouri. Those who successfully complete testing will be eligible to continue in the selection process for the 117th Recruit Class, scheduled to begin training on January 3rd, 2023. The application deadline is June 24th, 2022. To be eligible, candidates must possess a high school diploma or GED equivalent and be 21 years of age upon graduating from the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy. Upon graduating from the Patrol’s Academy, members of the 117th Recruit Class are eligible to receive 46 college credit hours from Mineral Area College in Park Hills, MO, for the courses they complete during training. The Missouri State Highway Patrol has updated its uniform guidelines to allow troopers to have tattoos or brands as long as they meet two requirements, the first is that the tattoos or brands cannot depict or support criminal behavior, drug usage, nudity, profanity, promiscuity, subversive groups, bigotry, etc., and tattoos or brands cannot be located on the head, neck, hands, wrists, or any part of the body which would be visible during movements in the performance of their duties while wearing an official uniform. Troopers with tattoos on the arms that would be visible in the class B short sleeve uniform will wear the class A long sleeve uniforms. The starting annual salary for trooper is $53,328, and following three years of service, the trooper first class salary is increased to $56,208. Other benefits include group health insurance, contributory retirement, career advancement, and more. The selection process is a multi-phase testing procedure, including a written examination, a physical fitness for duty assessment, polygraph examination, background investigation, and oral interview board. Written and physical examinations take place in each troop area across the state. After a conditional offer of employment, the applicant must successfully complete a medical examination to include vision and hearing, psychological examination, a psychological interview, drug screening, and final applicant review. Interested persons can find out more about the qualifications by contacting a Patrol recruiter at 1-800-796-7000, or may apply online at www.motrooper.com.