Your World Today

As our health communities continue to assess the spread of COVID-19, Salem R-80 is receiving guidance from local and state health officials. Superintendent John McColloch stated the decision was made Monday afternoon to close all Salem R-80 facilities beginning on Wednesday, March 18 through Friday, April 3rd. Classes will be set to resume on Monday, April 6th. Classes will be in session today, March 17, so that teachers and students have time to prepare for an extended closure and allow them to prepare materials that can be sent home with students. This closure also applies to all co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and practices. Thank you for your patience as we are trying to work proactively during this time. Our primary focus is the safety and the well-being of our students, staff, and community.

According to Jody Schaefer, the Salem Senior Center Administrator, the Salem Senior Center will be suspending the daily congregate lunch meal and all activities. Schafer did say that a warm meal would be provided for clients to take home, Monday through Friday, from 11:00 in the morning until to 1:00 in the afternoon. If clients are not interested in coming to the Senior Center to pick up their meals, they may get the frozen meal delivery if they live within city limits. They will still do their normal frozen meal delivery as well. If you have any questions or need information about picking up or having meals delivered, contact the Salem Senior Center at 729-2373. Also, if there are any seniors that still need assistance, please let them know. They are there to help!

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse with Dent County Emergency Management Director Brad Nash and Dent County Health Center Administrator Kendra Mobray. They discussed their meeting on Friday with Commission Skiles, the rural fire departments, representatives from the Division of Family Services, Salem R-80 and the rural school administrators, representatives from the Salem Memorial District Hospital, representatives from Phelps Health and the Mercy Clinic and the Salem Police Department. Mobray said there are now six confirmed cases of the Covid 19 virus in Missouri, but none in the Region I area and all have been travel related so far in the state. She said the CDC has recommended that there be no gatherings of more than 50 people in any one location, and that Veteran’s Homes and nursing homes be shut down to visitors. Mobray stated the best way to avoid getting the virus is to wash your hands, keep social distancing in mind, and if you feel ill to stay home. She said masks will not help you keep from getting the virus. She said the Covid 19 virus symptoms are fever, cough and shortness of breath. If you have these symptoms, contact your current health provider or the health center BY PHONE. The Dent County Health Center number is 729-3106 and the Shannon County Health Center number is 573-226-3914. They will ask you a number of questions to see if you may qualify to be tested. Do NOT go to see your health provider without calling FIRST, and do NOT just go to the Salem Memorial District Hospital Emergency Room without calling first unless it is a true health emergency.

At the Dent County Commission meeting Monday, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported it was too wet to grade. Workers will be servicing county dump trucks 119 and 123, replacing downed or stolen road signs, cleaning out culverts where needed, removing a leaning pine tree on Dent County Road 5690 and cutting brush on county road 5520. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated a crew would be repairing brush cutter #6 and will be checking for washouts. Larson said the county will not be able to grade until the conditions improve and the roads can dry and the forecast this week is not optimistic for better weather. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said the commissioners attended the South Central County Commissioner Association meeting in Houston Friday. Skiles said they heard from Senator Mike Cunningham, and Representatives Davis Evans and Robert Ross. Skiles state the commissioners received an update on the per diem legislation, heard about the Conservation Department’s landowner registration, got an update on the feral hog situation and heard more on the medical marijuana issue. Skiles also said at the last meeting in closed session, the commission approved the bid by SecureTech Systems, Inc. out of Irving, Texas to provide security services for the Dent County Jail. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that absentee voting for the April 7th election continues. She recommends that voters who are ill or disabled, or who have a caretaker, to request to get a ballot by mail. This is an excused reason to vote absentee and they can call the Dent County Clerk’s office at 729-4144. You can request to have a ballot mailed out until March 25th. The clerk’s office also offers curbside voting for those who can’t make it inside the courthouse. For those who want to vote this way, please call the Dent County Clerk’s office when you are outside and they will bring everything you need to vote to your vehicle. Also, absentee voting continues for the April 7th election until April 6th at 5:00, and the clerk’s office will be open Saturday, April 4th from 8:00 until 12:00 noon for absentee voting. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will conduct their March meeting on this evening in the hospital library beginning at 6:00. After approval of the agenda and minutes of the February 18th regular meeting and March 3rd special meeting, Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas will report on the summary of the operations for the month of February, a Home Health report and hospital auxiliary report followed by the Chief of Nursing Report for the month by Debbie Hines. A report on the hospital foundation, plus the marketing and community perception report will be given by Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards. Hospital Administrator Lucas will discuss the Home Health Bylaw Change with the board which will then be voted on before the board hears a report from the 2021 fiscal year finance committee meeting. New purchases made by the hospital will be presented before the hospital goes into closed session. The March board meeting of the Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors is open to the public.