Your World Today

The Salem R-80 Board of Education held their regular meeting Tuesday evening at the Salem High School Library. Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed updated the Board on the recent meeting with the coaches concerning the tin gym renovations as well as Tracy Strange’s District Community Liaison Training. She also detailed with the Board the summer work performed thus far by the custodial and maintenance staffs. In new business, the bid for milk from Hiland Dairy, the bread bid from Country Mart, the food bid from US Food, the supply bid from Graves and the pest control bid from Integrity Pest Control were all approved. The bids for gasoline and diesel were tabled. The tax rate hearing was set for August 19th at 5:45 and is to be followed by the regular August Board meeting. The Memorandum of Understanding with Northwood R-IV for the sharing of a band teacher was approved, as was the Return to Learning Plan which is available at the Salem R-80 website. The new personnel handbook was approved, and the MSBA policy update recommendations were approved. The motion was made and approved to provide a $200.00 stipend for staff members who attend a covid training during the August 24th workshop day. The board accepted the resignation of Cole Price, the Middle School special education instructor, which was effective immediately, and Assistant Superintendent John Smith which will be effective June 30th, 2022. The board then went into closed session. In closed session the Board approved a five-day extension of Rich Beckett’s contract for 2021-2022, and the Board moved Terry Nash to Step 20 and added a 10-day contract extension. The meeting was then adjourned.

Are you interested in a great volunteer opportunity right here in Salem? If you have a few hours per week to help out in your community in an easy way, look no further than Grace Harbor! They will be opening a temporary shelter soon. Their mission is to serve youth and school-aged kids in Salem and the surrounding areas. If there is availability at Grace Harbor, they will accept other individuals on a case-by- case basis, but the youth are their number one priority. They have a variety of volunteer opportunities at Grace Harbor such as cooking daily meals, grocery shopping, house cleaning, assisting residents, office work, grounds keeping and more. At this time, Grace Harbor has morning, afternoon, mid-afternoon, evening, and overnight shifts available. Volunteers must be at least 20 years of age, have a valid driver’s license, and complete the required testing. The Grace Harbor committee will be holding training meetings tomorrow evening, July 27th, from 6:00-8:00, and then Wednesday, July 28th from 10:00-12:00, and 2:00-4:00. If you are interested in volunteering, please plan on attending one of these meetings. If you have any questions, contact Jenny Summers at 573-247-7062 or Karen Carmier at 573-247-4530.

With above 90 degree temperatures expected, everyone working or playing outside needs to know the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses, like heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Being aware can help you stay safe during extreme heat. Warning signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness and weakness, dizziness or fainting, headache, nausea or vomiting. To help prevent heat-related illness, follow these safety tips if you will be outside: Do chores, visit playgrounds or parks during the coolest time of the day. Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing as well as sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful rays. Sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool itself and causes a loss of body fluids. Increase your fluid intake–regardless of activity level. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty. Avoid drinks containing caffeine, alcohol or large amounts of sugar because they can cause you to lose more fluid. Ask your doctor whether medications you take affect your body’s response to heat. Avoid very cold beverages as they can cause stomach cramps. Just have them sip cool water and try to cool down the person’s forehead and behind their neck with a moist, damp cloth. Remember, if the person you are with stops perspiring and their skin turns very red and is dry, or their temperature climbs to 103 or higher where they may become confused, nauseous and have a headache, they may be having a heat stroke. Get them to a cool place and call 9-1-1. For more information, go to www.cdc.gov.

Representatives from Missouri State Parks invite the public to attend an informational meeting about the Current River State Park and Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry on Saturday, July 31st at the Current River State Park. The meeting will begin at 1:00 in the afternoon at the barbecue house in the screened-in picnic area, located to the left of Current River Lodge in the main area of the park. The public is invited to share comments and ask questions about the site and its operations. Input from the public is important to Missouri State Parks. The meetings give staff the opportunity to let people know the current status and future plans for the park or historic site, and they offer visitors the opportunity to comment on the facilities. The Current River State Park is located off Highway 19 South at 11053 County Road 19D in southeast Missouri. For more information about the meeting, call 573-751-6414.

The City of Salem Utility Committee meeting was held Tuesday evening at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Chairman Shawn Bolerjack called the meeting to order. City Administrator Ray Walden gave an update on utility billing. There are 2,834 active electric accounts with 1,454 being current on their bill. A total of 495 are 30 days past due; 262 are 60 days past due and 218 are over 90 days past due. There are currently 39 accounts that have not made a payment in over a year. The June 16th through July 15th bill will be the last one sent out before cutoffs are resumed on August 6th. Citizens are encouraged to call or visit the City Utility Office at 729-4117 to make payment arrangements. There are currently 75 customers with payment plans and another 23 that have initiated the process and need to finish the paperwork. The committee reviewed and made several recommendations to the wording and information that is included on the current bills. Bolerjack recommended customers that are on budget billing should have their usage reviewed twice a year to make adjustments as needed. Utility Committee member Catherine Dent volunteered to help the staff in the utility office contact customers that are in jeopardy of having their electric disconnected as well as reaching out to customers to help establish payment plans. The February Cold Snap bill was discussed. The city will participate in the Governor Parson’s no interest 60-month loan to pay the $1,275,025 that is owed. After some discussion regarding how to pass on this cost to customers, the committee voted to recommend the Alderman add 4.4% rate adjustment to all customers monthly bills. The committee discussed the request from Heartland Metal for a reduction on their commercial water rate. The committee will recommend to the Alderman that no change be made at this time. Heartland Metal may ask the committee to revisit this subject after they have an efficiency study conducted. Walden gave an update on the Exceleron Pre-Paid Electric Project. This web-based portal will allow customers to pay their electric bill online using a credit card and should be completed in two months. After getting an update on the Electric and Street Department projects, the meeting was adjourned.

Last week, the US Department of Health and Human Services through the Health Resources and Services Administration provided Missouri with $8,268,032 to support COVID response efforts in rural areas. This funding was distributed through the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program to 32 small rural hospitals for COVID testing and mitigation. These hospitals with less than 50 beds or that are Critical Access Hospitals are key health care access points and trusted community sources. According to Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas, the Salem Memorial District Hospital received $161,000 from this fund that is earmarked for COVID testing and mitigation.

Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley reported on three cases heard in Crawford County on Tuesday, July 20th in front of Judge Michael Randazzo in the 42nd Judicial Circuit Court. In the first case heard, Rose Howell of Salem had violated her probation for the possession of a controlled substance after completing the RSMOSection 559.115 program. She was sentenced to 10 years in the Department of Corrections as requested by Prosecutor Andrew Curley. Howell requested to be placed in the drug court program and to continue on probation was denied by Judge Randazzo. In the next case, Samantha Conaway of Salem had her sentencing hearing after pleading guilty to two felony counts of distribution guilty, one count of the fraudulent use of a credit device, and one felony count of the possession of a controlled substance. Prosecutor Curley requested a total of 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections while Conaway sought probation. Judge Randazzo sentenced Conaway to a total of 10 years under RSMO Section 559.115 in the shock incarceration program. In the last case Tuesday, Carl Blair of Salem pled guilty to failing to register as a sex offender. In the sentencing hearing, Curley sought four years in the Department of Corrections under Section 559.115. Blair sought probation. Blair was sentenced by Judge Randazzo to a four-year suspended execution of sentence with 5-years probation over the objection of the state.

An accident occurred Thursday morning at 5:45 in Iron County on Highway 32 about four miles west of Bixby. According to the highway patrol report, a westbound 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, driven by 25-year-old Mark Cooper of Belgrade, crossed the center line and struck head on an eastbound 2010 International, driven by 58-year-old Gary Glastetter of Oran, Missouri. The International then ran off the road, struck a tree and caught fire. Cooper suffered serious injuries and Glastetter suffered moderate injuries. Both were transported by ambulance to Salem Memorial District Hospital. The report stated that Glastetter was wearing a safety restraint, while it was unknown if Cooper was. Both vehicles were totaled and removed from the scene by Abney’s Towing.