Your World Today

The Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees met for their regular Meeting on Thursday, May 20th. The minutes of the March regular meeting was reviewed and approved. In old business Health Center Administrator Kendra Mobray updated the Board on current COVID status in Dent County. She said that to date 1007 confirmed cases and 186 probable cases have been investigated. Eighty-six cases have required hospitalization. At the time of the meeting there were 6 active cases in Dent County and there had been 36 related deaths confirmed. According to MoDHSS, as of April 20th, 3119 Dent County residents had received 1 dose of vaccine and 2619 have had a complete series of 2 shots. SEMA and Missouri National Guard were finishing the hosting of drive-thru clinics at the Dent County Fire Station in May. COVID vaccine is available at the Dent County Health Center, Moser Pharmacy, Vandivort Pharmacy and Wal-Mart Pharmacy. The Board went in to closed session to discuss Administrator applicants and approved minutes of the April and May closed session meetings. In new business Mobray updated the Board on contracts. In April 1 case of Campylobacteriosis was investigated. Face to face appointments at the Health Center are gradually opening up. The MCH 5-year work plan was submitted to DHSS in April for the new priority health issue “prevent and reduce unintentional injuries in children and adolescents.” The Show Me Healthy Women clinics, which offers free breast and cervical cancer screenings for Missouri women who meet age, income and insurance guidance, continue to be held on the 4th Thursday of each month. More information about the program is available by calling the Health Center at 573-729-3106. During the election of officers the motion was made and passed that the current officers of Board Chairman Bob Parsons, Vice-Chairman Sandra Headrick and Treasurer Dennis Floyd be re-elected. In other new business Mobray noted that when the personnel manual was updated it did not reflect the previous sick leave policy. Motion was made and passed to update the personnel manual with the policy. Dent County Health Center expenses for March and April were approved and the next regular Board meeting was set for June 17th.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education held a special board meeting via Zoom last Thursday at 11:30. At the meeting, the board approved the purchase of two storage buildings from Current River Buildings before going into closed session. In closed session, the board accepted the resignation of high school counselor Elizabeth Wright and read a resignation letter from bus driver Don Adamick. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Dent County 4-H will be presenting Montauks Nature At Night, June 30th at Montauk State Park. The evening begins at 5:30 with supper and a chance to get to know each other followed by various activities, including crafts and a tour of the mill. A park ranger will then lead the group on a night walk beginning at 9:00. This may turn into a late-night event so participants are encouraged to wear closed toed shoes and bring a jacket.

Are you wanting to learn to fish? MDC offers Discover Nature – Fishing Program that provides a series of free lessons throughout the state. All fishing gear is provided. Learn more at dnf.mdc.mo.gov. If you have a need for fishing equipment, MDC works with numerous libraries and other locations around the state to loan fishing gear for free. Loaner gear includes fishing poles and simple tackle box with hooks, sinkers, and bobbers. Worms, minnows, or other bait are not provided. Find MDC Rod and Reel Loaner Program locations at the MDC website. For information on Missouri fishing regulations, fish identification, and more, get a copy of MDC’s 2021 Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations where permits are sold, or online. MDC’s free MO Fishing app can help anglers find the best places to fish in Missouri, access regulation information, identify fish by species, and more. Anglers can also buy, store, and show fishing permits right on their mobile devices. MO Fishing is available for download through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices.

Visitors to the Ozark National Scenic Riverways have the opportunity to Celebrate National Trails Day on June 4 with a ranger-led birding hike at 9 a.m. at Round Spring. Bring your binoculars and meet at the Round Spring pavilion. A park ranger will lead the group though the Round Spring area in search of a variety of bird species. With over 400 species recorded in Missouri, birding is a great outdoor activity for people of all ages. Migratory birds are still passing through the area providing the opportunity to encounter some that are not commonly seen in the park. If you are new to birding, there will be several resources available to get you started on your birding journey. Plan accordingly when hiking or participating in any outdoor recreational activity. Hikers should wear appropriate clothing and footwear for hiking and take weather conditions into consideration. Recommended supplies include binoculars, drinking water, snacks, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Ozark National Scenic Riverways follows the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and any corresponding federal mandates in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. All participants should be prepared to practice social distancing as needed. If you are not yet fully vaccinated, masks are required outdoors when social distancing cannot be maintained. For more information about the birding hike, please contact the Round Spring Ranger Station at (573) 323-8093. Ozark National Scenic Riverways preserves the free-flowing Current and Jacks Fork Rivers, the surrounding natural resources, and the unique cultural heritage of the Ozark people. For more information about the park, visit www.nps.gov/ozar or call (573) 323-4236.

KSMO Video Productions is taking orders for the 2021 Salem Graduation DVD’s available for sale at the KSMO Radio studios at 800 South Main in the basement of the Wisdom Building. If you would like to have a DVD, please call the station to reserve your copy. The cost is $15 per DVD. KSMO Radio doors open just before 8:00 in the morning and stay open until 4:00 weekdays. For more information, call KSMO at 729-6117.