Your World Today

More customers than ever before are eligible for help paying their natural gas after Ameren Missouri and the state of Missouri have expanded several utility assistance programs. As a result, families across the state can take the first step today, which is reaching out for help. The state of Missouri recently updated its federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to provide more funding and expand eligibility requirements. Here’s what that means for qualifying Ameren Missouri customers is that a disconnection notice is no longer required. Also energy assistance payments have doubled for both LIHEAP programs. It should be noted the Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) payment is now $1,600 in the winter and $1,200 in the summer with assistance is available year-round. For more information on the state’s LIHEAP changes and to learn if you qualify, call the South Central Community Action Agency Salem office at 729-3500 or their Winona office at 1-800-323-4633. For customers with moderate incomes who don’t qualify for LIHEAP but have been impacted financially by COVID-19, Ameren Missouri created the “Clean Slate” program. This $1.2 million energy assistance fund has already helped thousands of Missouri families with their utility expenses. More than half of the funding is still available. Through Clean Slate, qualifying customers may receive up to $750. To learn more, go to AmerenMissouri.com/CleanSlate where you can also apply for funds. To keep a closer eye on your energy usage every month, sign up for an online account. You can log in from your phone or computer any time to see how and when you use energy, your next month’s bill projections, and sign up for alerts to help you manage your usage.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports for the week of January 17th. On Monday, the 17th, a deputy traveled to a residence in the 1400 block of South Hickory to attempt to serve an arrest warrant. The deputy made contact with a 53-year-old Salem man who was arrested on an active warrant out of Dent County. He was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. On Tuesday, January 18th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 2100 block of Highway 19 North. During the stop, a 35-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while having their license revoked or suspended. He was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was issued a summons and released. On Thursday, January 20th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at East Highway 32 and South Carty. During the traffic stop, a 28-year-old Salem woman was arrested for driving while being intoxicated. The woman was transported to the Dent County Jail where she was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. On Saturday, January 22nd, deputies traveled to a residence in the 2900 block of Route OO to attempt to serve an arrest warrant. The deputies made contact with a 54-year-old Rolla man. The man was arrested on multiple warrants out of Dent County and the Licking Police Department. He was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. If anyone has any information about any ongoing investigation, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

The City of Salem Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustment will be meeting Thursday night at 6:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers to discuss a proposed use of the structure at #10 Parkview Place to service commercial trucks on property owned by Harold Martin. The meeting was called by Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustments acting chairman, Bob Parsons.

An accident happened in Texas County Sunday evening at 5:50 on Highway 63 about 3.5 miles south of Licking. According to the highway patrol report, a 2005 John Deere 2050 was being driven northbound on Highway 63 by 30-year-old Christopher Clouse of Licking when the John Deere was struck from behind by a 2015 Buick LeSabre driven northbound by 81-year-old David McGaughey of Licking. McGaughey and his wife, 76-year-old Gloria McGaughey of Licking, both suffered moderate injuries and were taken to the Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston. The Buick was totaled while the John Deere sustained extensive damage. They were both removed from the scene by Jay’s Automotive from Houston. The McGaughey’s were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident while Clouse was not.

The Dent County Commission met for their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said work crews would add materials and try to grade Dent County Roads 5600 and 6600, while crews will only try to grade county road 6370. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated work crews would try to grade Dent County Roads 2110 and 4050, while other workers would be repairing and replacing downed or stolen road signs. Larson went on to say work was going to be done on the snowplow blades on county trucks #116 and #122, while maintenance work would be done on county truck #68. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended the CCAM Board meeting last Wednesday and worked on the commissioner training that will be held in February. He said they also received a report on the upcoming legislative session. Skiles said that Thursday, he and Representatives Ron Copeland and Bennie Cook visited Montauk State Park to look over the complex and see if some state money can be allocated toward improvements at the park to the lodge, cabins and more. Skiles said he would be attending the MRPC Legislative Day today at the capitol. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she attended the MAC board meeting Wednesday before the Missouri Association of County Clerk Election Authority board met with legislators with a pamphlet that outlined what has to be done county wide to hold elections. She said they also received updates on the proposed redistricting. She said today is the final date for the election authorities to submit their certification for the municipal election. Curley said she has received five submissions from high schoolers for a new “I Voted” sticker with the last day to submit being February 4th. The commission then voted on a proposition to extend the Road and Bridge Sales tax which is scheduled to expire this year. They discussed the ballot language that read, “Shall the County of Dent, Missouri, retain the countywide sales tax at the rate of 1/4th of one percent for the purpose of maintaining and improving roads and bridges?” A “yes” vote will continue the current countywide sales tax of 1/4th of one percent for the maintenance and capital improvements for roads and bridges that has been imposed since 2015 and will remove the requirement to place the question on the ballot for the renewal after seven years but will not result in an increase in sales tax. A “no” vote means the current tax will expire would expire on September 30th. The commissioners approved the language and certifying the issue to be placed on the April 5th ballot. Commissioner Skiles said the public hearing for the 2022 county budget would be this Thursday morning at 10:00 at the commission’s office and it is open to everyone. There will be no regular commission meeting that day, but the commissioners will be paying bills after the budget is approved.

The Salem R-80 School Board in closed session Thursday night discussed Superintendent Lynne Reed’s evaluation, then made a motion to extend her contract through the 2024-2025 school year. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Salem Tigers Basketball Homecoming will be held Friday night between the JV and varsity basketball games against Licking at the Salem High School Gym. The Homecoming Court is Khloe Baldwin for the freshmen, Leya Russell for the sophomores and Hannah Brookshire for the juniors. The three seniors vying for title of Homecoming Queen will be Evelyn Labastida, Faith LaJoie and Alyssa Russell.

The Salem Board of Alderman will meet this evening at 6:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers. After the consent agenda, the board will hear Bill #3498 which would create an ordinance amending Chapter 700, Article 1 of the Code of Ordinances pertaining to the disconnection of utility services. The amendment indicates residential customers will not be charged for a reconnection fee when electric is temporarily restored, and that the electric consumed during the emergency reconnect time will be billed to the customer. The board will hear bids for police vehicles and for 30 and 45-foot utility poles. The board will hear the report from City Administrator Ray Walden, Mayor Kim Steelman, Public Works Director Mark Nash and aldermen reports. The board will also review the city’s financial statemen for the 6-month period from July 1st through December 31st, 2021. The board may then go into closed session. The meeting of the Salem Board of Aldermen tonight at 6:00 is open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s office is requesting the public’s help with any information on a male individual found deceased on the side of the road on Highway DD. Anyone who may have seen a male individual walking or receiving a ride on any of the county roads in the area of Anutt to Route DD, or if any residence in the area had a knock on the door between dusk on January 19th to the early morning of January 20th, please get in touch with the Dent County Sheriff’s Office. In addition, the Sheriff’s Office is asking any residents in the area to review their security camera footage for anything suspicious. Anyone who has any information is asked to please contact Detective Matt Atkinson at the Sheriff’s Office at 573-729-3241, Ext 2.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released reports from the department’s activities in the last two weeks On Monday, January 10th, a deputy traveled to a residence in Bunker to serve an arrest warrant. A 20-year-old Bunker woman was arrested on an active warrant out of Dent County. She was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. Then on Thursday the 13th, deputies traveled to a residence on South Jackson Street to serve an arrest warrant. As a result, a 47-year-old Salem man was arrested on an active warrant out of Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. That same day a deputy conducted a traffic stop at Highway 68 and Route U. As a result of the stop, a 42-year-old Salem man was arrested for trafficking drugs in the 2nd degree and for the unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. The man was taken to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted and incarcerated. Finally on Friday the 14th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Highway 19 North. During the course of the stop, a 38-year-old Salem woman was arrested for driving while having her license revoked or suspended. The woman was transported to the Dent County Jail, where she was fingerprinted, issued a summons, and released. If anyone has any information regarding and ongoing investment, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

Want to learn how to clog? Join the “Intro to Clogging” class with the Rock’n Country Cloggers led by Lavonda Lawson TONIGHT from 5:30 to 7:30 at the Creative Arts Center behind the ONCRC. Enjoy the cultural art of clogging and try it out for yourself. Get a lesson for $5. For more information or to register, call 247-0651 or 247-5306, or sign up on the Salem Arts Council Facebook page.

The Delta Regional Authority on January 12th graduated 24 regional leaders from the Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy. The 2021 Delta Leadership Institute class marks the 16th year of trained regional leaders, comprised of government, non-profit, and business professionals from all eight Delta Regional Authority states. The graduates participated in six training sessions over the past year, learning best practices employed throughout the Delta region for economic and community development in order to catalyze innovative solutions that would be implementable in their own community and region. The Delta Leadership Institute fellows learned from subject matter experts in infrastructure and transportation, small business and entrepreneurship, workforce development, public health, and other fields necessary to facilitate economic growth. This year’s executive academy graduates included Salem and Dent County Economic Director Sally Burbridge. After graduation, Delta Leadership Institute fellows become members of the Delta Leadership Network, which is comprised of more than 600 community leaders who understand the importance of regional collaboration, resource sharing, and innovative thinking. Congratulations Sally!!!

An accident happened in Dent County on Dent County Road 5170 about five miles southeast of Salem Sunday afternoon at 12:40. According to the highway patrol report, 33-year-old Johnny Barton of Salem, lost control of his 2007 Ford Escape in his driveway and the Ford struck a mobile home. Barton suffered moderate injuries and was taken by the Salem EMS to the Salem Memorial District Hospital. He was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Ford sustained moderate damages and was left at the scene.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will hold a special meeting tonight at 6:00 at the hospital library. This meeting will be closed to the public.