Your World Today

The Dent County Health Center and local county and city officials are working together as a result of Governor Parson’s “Stay At Home” Missouri Order that goes into effect at 12:01 tomorrow morning and will last until 11:59 Friday night, April 24th. Agency leaders will continue to plan and discuss to coordinate within Salem and Dent County to help prevent and protect citizens from the spread of the COVID-19 virus, while also protecting the constitutional rights and economic interests of the community. They understand that this pandemic is difficult physically, financially and emotionally for all citizens. They ask for your continued patience in following the “Stay at Home” Missouri Order and appreciate the sacrifices citizens are making. Among other guidelines, the Order requires all individuals and nonessential businesses in the state of Missouri shall avoid gatherings of more than ten people and shall maintain a distance of six feet apart except for family members; all public and charter schools must remain closed for the duration of the Order; and nothing in this Order shall prohibit daycares, child care providers, or schools from providing child care for working families in accordance with CDC guidelines. The Order does not prohibit Missourians from accessing essential services such as grocery stores, gas stations, doctor’s appointments after confirming an appointment with your doctor, pharmacies, banks, getting carry-out food or engaging in outdoor recreation, provided that social distancing is maintained and other necessary precautions are taken and maintained to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. Essential workers, services and sectors include, but are not limited to healthcare workers and caregivers; law enforcement, fire fighters, and first responders; government operations; mental health and Social Service workers; pharmacy employees; workers supporting groceries, pharmacies and other retail sales of food and beverage products; restaurant carryout and quick-serve food operations and food delivery employees; farm workers; electricity and utility industry employees; critical manufacturing employees providing medical supply chains, energy, transportation, food, and chemicals; petroleum, natural and propane gas workers; transportation and logistics workers; communications and information technology employees, and banks. A special thanks to community members who have donated their time and talent to create handmade masks. Hundreds of masks have been distributed to local healthcare providers, nursing homes, and businesses. Businesses or volunteers needing guidance on fabric mask distribution may contact the Dent County Health Center at 729-3106. More information on the CDC’s recommendation regarding the use of cloth face masks, as well as a instructions to make a homemade mask can be found at the CDC website: www.cdc.gov.

City Administrator Ray Walden wanted to let the public know that the next utility bills are expected to be processed by April 10th. These bills will include trash charges for two months as utility bills were not processed in March. Though penalties are not being processed during the State of Emergency by the City of Salem, the bills will have a listed penalty date of May 1st. Bills paid by April 20th will be eligible the 1% discount on the electric portion of the bill. Accounts set up for auto payments will be processed on April 20th. If there are any questions about your city utility bill, please contact the city utility office at 729-4117. The City of Salem has a list of ways that people can conserve on their utility bills during the year and during the COVID 19 pandemic. You can find the list on the City of Salem Facebook page.

Aging Best (formerly Central Missouri Area Agency on Aging) is providing curbside and home delivered meals in the 19 counties we serve which includes Salem and Dent County. There are seniors and caregivers in these counties who are unable to come to the center
for a curbside meal or are afraid of having contact with someone delivering meals to their home. They want to assure seniors and caregivers that Aging Best is following the recommended safety measures to prepare and transfer the meals. For curbside meals, seniors stay in their vehicles while we bring the meals to the cars. For home delivered meals, drivers place the meals outside of seniors’ homes in a safe place of their choice. If you or someone you know needs assistance with meals, access to food or a list of available resources for other aging related needs, or if you would be interested in volunteering to deliver meals or donating supplies, please call the Salem Senior Center Administrator Jody Schaefer at (573) 729-2373.

An accident happened Friday night at 10:30 in Reynolds County on Reynolds County Road 290 about four miles north of Bunker. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado driven by 29-year old Bradley Gorden of Salem was traveling westbound when the Silverado ran off the roadway and overturned. Bradley was ejected from the vehicle and suffered serious injuries. He was transported to Salem Memorial by ambulance. Bradley was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Silverado sustained moderate damage and was towed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

The City of Salem Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public meeting at 6:00 tonight at the City Hall Auditorium to discuss a waiver to allow parking in front of the South Aire Annex owned by Central Mo Investments, LLC. At 7:00 tonight, the Salem Board of Aldermen regular meeting will be held also at the City Hall Auditorium. In bids, the board will hear bids to do perform nova chip, and chip & seal on a number of city streets. Following the consent agenda, the board will hear from Gary Brown from Planning and Zoning on their public meeting. City Administrator Ray Walden will update the board on city projects and then discuss the RFP for the implementation of energy saving measures at city facilities and selected capital improvements. The board will discuss Bill #3445 that would authorize the mayor to execute a detailed engineering study agreement between the city and McKinstry Essention LLC for those energy saving measures. The board will go into closed session. Both meetings are open to the public.

In the interest of not issuing messages that contradict community health experts the City of Salem and Dent County have been coordinating efforts with the Dent County Health Center in response to COVID-19. Salem Mayor Brad Nash and Dent County Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles have been meeting with Dent County Health Center Administrator Kendra Mobray and other stakeholders on a regular basis since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. As of Thursday, April 2nd at noon, there have been no reports of positive cases in Dent County. Nash, Skiles, and Mobray wanted to commend the public and local businesses for following the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Governor Parson. While some cities and counties in Missouri are adopting stay at home orders, officials from Dent County, Salem, and Bunker do not feel issuing a stay at home order is deemed appropriate at this time. If a stay at home order is issued in the future, the public should be aware that grocery stores and other essential businesses will remain open. Questions about individual health concerns should be directed to your health care provider but questions regarding the public aspect of COVID-19 can be directed to the Dent County Health Center. Call 573-729-3106 or e-mail questions to dentcountymocovid19@gmail.com.

Friday morning at about 8:30, Dent County Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles along with Salem and Dent County Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge will be on KSMO Radio AM 1340 and online at ksmoradio.com to discuss the economic stimulus package passed by Congress last week known as the CARES Act. Burbridge will discuss many of the aspects of the act that can help local business owners including the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program and Economic Injury Disaster Grant Program, the Payroll Protection Program Loans and the Small Business Debt Relief Program. Burbridge will provide data for those who may be interested in these programs and where they need to go to get more information.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Office has released the following reports for March 26th and 27th. On Thursday, the 26th, a Deputy traveled to an apartment on Odom Drive to serve an arrest warrant. During the course of the incident, a 22- year-old Salem man was arrested for an active warrant through Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail and incarcerated. Then on Friday, the 27th, a deputy traveled to a residence in the 7000 block of Highway 68 for a report of a disturbance between a man and woman. During the course of the incident, a 34-year-old Salem man was arrested for an active warrant through Gasconade County. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he later posted bond and was released. Also on the 27th a deputy traveled to a residence in the 200 block of Route H for the report of a domestic dispute. During the course of the incident, a 39-year-old Salem woman was arrested for an active warrant through Probation and Parole. The woman was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail and incarcerated. If you have information regarding any investigation, contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

Remember, the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Conservation Commission have temporarily waived permit requirements for sport fishing and daily trout tags for Missouri residents and nonresidents whose fishing privileges are not otherwise suspended. The waiver of needing a permit or trout tag to fish will run through April 15. Seasons, methods, and limits still apply and will be enforced. The Department of Conservation continues to emphasize that it is still critical for everyone to continue to heed all recommendations for physical distancing, avoiding overcrowding, hand-washing, and other public-health measures while fishing.

An accident happened in Phelps County Thursday afternoon at 12:50 on Highway 72 at Phelps County Road 5420. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 Ford Escape driven westbound by 21-year old Misty Sprow of Rolla, was slowing to make a left hand turn when the Ford was struck from behind by a 2007 Chevy Malibu driven westbound by 21-year old Samantha Burghardt of Rolla. The collision caused the Escape to travel off the right side of the roadway. The Chevy continued across the center line where it collided with a 2010 Dodge Ram driven eastbound by 56-year old John Russell of Salem. Burghardt suffered serious injuries and was transported by EMS to Phelps Health in Rolla. Suffering minor injuries were John Russell of Salem as well as an occupant in the Ram, 59-year old Becky Russell of Salem. They were both taken by the EMS to Phelps Health in Rolla. The Chevy Malibu and the Dodge Ram were both totaled in the accident while the Ford sustained moderate damages. The Ford and the Chevy were removed from the scene by Dishman’s Towing while Whitaker’s Towing removed the Dodge Ram. Everyone except Burkhardt was wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident.

The Salem Public Library will be closed until further notice in the best interests of patrons and staff because of the current national health emergency. Director Glenda Wofford said the decision was based on the recommendations of the White House and Missouri governor’s office with the best advice from federal, state, and local public health officials. Updates will be posted on the library’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Patrons are encouraged to access the virtual library at salempubliclibrary.net. Library staff will work throughout the closure. Please call 729-4331 with any questions you may have.

The Salem License Bureau office in the Crossroads Shopping Center will be closing the office from Monday, April 6th through Friday April 17th. At this time, they plan to re-open the office on Monday April 20th.