Your World Today

The Salem Police Department has released report from the last week of July. On Friday, July 23rd near 12:30 in the afternoon, an officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was not displaying any registration plates. During the traffic stop it was found the driver had a revoked driving status. As a result of the stop, a 41-year-old Salem woman was arrested and issued a summons to appear in court. That same afternoon just after 5:30, an officer was dispatched to the 100 block of East Center Street for a report of a juvenile issue. Upon further investigation, contact was made with a male subject who had an active arrest warrant out of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. As a result, a 32-year-old Salem man was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. Later that same evening at approximately 7:30, an officer was dispatched to Wal-Mart for a report of a shoplifter. It was reported that a man had stolen $30 worth of merchandise from Wal-Mart. Contact was made with the subject and as a result a 21-year-old Rolla man was arrested and released on a summons to appear in court. During the afternoon of Sunday, July 25th at around 5:00, an officer was dispatched to Wal- Mart for a disturbance pertaining to a person attempting to steal a pair of shoes. Upon arrival of officers, the subject fled to the back of the store and went out the emergency exit. The person continued running on foot away from responding officers. A perimeter was established with assistance of the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and a short time later the subject was taken into custody. The subject taken into custody was a 32-year-old man from Salem. He was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail due to his lengthy criminal history along with the charges stemming from the incident. Finally on Tuesday morning at around 11:40, an officer conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Macarthur and Franklin Streets on a vehicle for failing to stop at a stop sign. During the traffic stop, the passenger was found to be in possession of approximately 4 grams of methamphetamine. As a result, a 42-year-old West Plains man 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 an ongoing investigation.

Have you commented on the Ozark National Scenic Riverways’ draft Roads and Trails Management Plan yet? Time is running out as the comment period will end Wednesday, August 18th for public input. The plan is available for review and comment at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/OZAR_RTplan. You can also download the Draft Plan includes detailed maps and an environmental assessment illustrating a No-Action Alternative and two Action Alternatives. The No-Action Alternative reflects a continuation of current management practices, as established in the 2014 General Management Plan. The two Action Alternatives were created based on public and stakeholder feedback gathered earlier in the planning process and represent alternative approaches for addressing issues identified in the plan, while also meeting desired conditions for managing the park’s roads and trails. The National Park Service has selected Alternative B in the Draft Plan as their preferred alternative for implementation. Superintendent Jason Lott stated that with the release of the draft Roads and Trails Management Plan, Ozark National Scenic Riverways is in the final phase of a complex planning process. The Roads and Trails Management Plan will establish a network of roads and trails that is clearly mapped, more sustainable, and that will allow visitors to safely enjoy the park’s resources through a variety of recreational activities, while still protecting those resources for future generations. For those who prefer to review printed copies of the Draft Plan, they will be made available for review at the public libraries in several local communities, including Salem and Rolla. The comments will be analyzed to determine if there are any adjustments needed and then an alternative will be selected for implementation. The public is encouraged to download and review the plan and provide comments online. Comments will also be accepted through the mail to Superintendent Jason Lott, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, P. O. Box 490, Van Buren, Missouri 63965. As always, we look forward to hearing from the public and encourage all to visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/. For more information, please contact Dena Matteson at 323-4814 or dena_matteson@nps.gov.

Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley reports on Friday, August 6th in Dent County in front of Judge Megan Seay that Robert Charles Martin of Salem who was on probation for a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance and for leaving the scene of an accident, had his probation revoked and was sentenced to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections under the long-term treatment program.

City of Salem Mayor Brad Nash has called for a Special Meeting of the Board of Alderman for this evening, August 12th, at 6:00 at The Community Center @ The Armory located at 1200 West Rolla Road. The meeting has been called to consider Bill No. 3486, which is an ordinance establishing new rates for electric services provided by the City of Salem. The meeting is open to the public.

Healthy Dent County will restart the Project RISE program that will empower individuals and offer support as they strive to lead their families out of poverty.  This program was first held in 2019 and then again in early 2020 but has been postponed due to the pandemic. The new cohort of families will begin this October. This program will address root issues keeping families in poverty and work toward developing strategies to overcome these challenges and sustain long-term change.  Project RISE will help provide the tools and resources to solve-problems, create new habits and provide a forum for networking and creating healthy dialogue with mentors, experts and others who have found ways to achieve additional success. Families accepted in the program will work on reducing debt, improving credit scores, increasing income, strengthening confidence and gaining hope. Only 5-7 families will be selected for this two-year program, and they must meet these requirements: have at least one dependent child; must have stable housing; they must reside in Dent County; and most importantly, the participants must be ready, willing and open to make changes to find new opportunities. 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. Ms. Lacey Walker, Administrative Professional with Healthy Dent County, will serve as the coordinator for this program with facilitating help provided by Dan Adams from the Southeast Missouri Treatment Center, Jason Jones who is a Loan Officer at Progressive Ozark Bank, Sarah Hultine-Massengale who is the Community Development Specialist of Dent County Extension, and Liz Gruendel who is the Chairman of the Healthy Dent County Board of Directors. There are a number of ways you can partner with Healthy Dent County on this project that includes referring families, volunteering to help make a presentation at one of the 16-weekly classes, sponsor a weekly meal by providing food or donating $150, or by sponsor a family by donating $250. All donations to Healthy Dent County are tax deductible. 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.

Current River State Park invites the public to learn about special uses of Missouri’s native plants from 7:00 in the morning until to 2:00 on Friday, August 13th or on Saturday, August 14th. The same class is offered each day. Participants will learn how native plants can be used on insect bites and learn to how to make rose water and more. Participants are asked to bring a lunch, a water bottle and hiking shoes to join in the fun. Participants will take a short walk to collect a few plant parts and learn what other plants look like so they can be identified later. Space is limited, and registration is required. Contact Connie at 573-751-1224 or connie.weber@dnr.mo.gov to register. The public is strongly encouraged to follow social-distancing guidelines and be proactive in protecting themselves and others. Current River State Park is located on Highway 19, approximately 23 miles south of Salem and approximately 15 miles north of Eminence. For more information, call Current River State Park at 573-751-1224. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees held a special meeting Thursday, August 5th. Health Center Administrator Zach Moser presented a plan for administering Covid antigen tests at the Health Center. The Board authorized the testing plan for the BINAX Now antigen test at $10.00 each. Moser presented a plan to purchase 240 COVID-19 PCR test for $9,840.00 and the ID Now machine would be included at no cost. The purchase would be covered by the ELC Grant. The Board voted to purchase the tests and set the fee for the test at $50.00. Moser presented addition information on the testing procedure and the decision tree. Protection of Health Center Staff during Covid testing was discussed. Moser explained that proper Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) would be worn through-out the procedure and testing would take place in the carport until a safe indoor space could be created. Moving Moser’s office to another location in the building was discussed. The Board authorized Moser to purchase a portable HEPA air filtration system and seek bids on a more permanent air filtration system for the room. The potential need for additional staff to conduct the testing was discussed and a decision was deferred until the next regular meeting. Moser explained the arrangement with Phelps Health to obtain the Pfizer COVID vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine is the only brand currently authorized for use in children ages 12-18. The need for an ultra-cold freezer to store the vaccine was discussed. Moser presented information on four models ranging in price from $5,700 to $12,500. He explained that the Stirling model for $5,700 was not only the most affordable, but the most flexible as it included a 12v power adapter and could be set at regular freezer temperatures if ever necessary. The Board noted that they wanted to make good use of taxpayer dollars so they approved the purchase of the Stirling model for $5,700. With no further business the meeting was adjourned.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Office has submitted the following reports for the end of July. On Thursday, July 29th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of 3rd and 4th streets. During the course of the traffic stop, a 49-year-old Salem woman was arrested for the possession of a controlled substance. The woman was transported to the Dent County Jail where she was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. On Friday the 30th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 9000 block of East Highway 32. At the traffic stop, a 29-year-old Salem man was arrested for having an active warrant through Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. That same day, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Dent County Road 4120. During the course of the traffic stop, a 35-year-old Bunker man was arrested for driving while being intoxicated. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released to a family member. Still on the 30th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 5000 block of West Highway 32. A 32-year-old Salem man was arrested for having active warrants through the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and for driving while having his license revoked or suspended. A woman was also arrested during the traffic stop for having active warrants through the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and Probation and Parole. Both the man and woman were transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. Finally, on Saturday July 31st, a deputy traveled to a residence in the 500 block of County Road 4180 to serve an arrest warrant. During the course of the incident, a 39-year-old Salem man was arrested for having an active warrant through Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. If anyone has information regarding any ongoing investigation, contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

An accident occurred Thursday night about 7:15 in Crawford County on Highway 19 one and-one-half miles south of Steelville. According to the Highway Patrol Report a southbound 2006 Ford Fusion, driven by 34-year-old Darren Brinkley of Steelville, traveled off the right side of the road and struck a pedestrian. The pedestrian, 40-year-old Matthew Gaghen of Steelville, suffered serious injuries and was transported by helicopter to Mercy in Creve Coeur. The report stated that Darren Brinkley was impaired and distracted. According to the report Brinkley was wearing a safety restraint when the accident occurred. The Ford sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by Miles Towing.

The South-Central Missouri Community Action Agency will hold a school readiness event this Saturday from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 that afternoon. This will be a drive-through event to provide free school supplies to children. In order to speed up the line pre-registration is required, and parents or guardians of school age children can call 729-3500, Extension 10 to set up an appointment. You will need to bring social security cards for everyone in the household. Households with last names starting with A through L will pick up supplies from 10:00 until noon; then M through Z will be from 12:00 until 2:00. School supplies and backpacks are funded 100% at $34,000 with federal funds received from the US Department of Health and Human Services and Family Support Division, with other support provided by community partners in the Dent County Area.