Your World Today

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. The commission said the county would be participating in the “Back to School” sales tax holiday this weekend where people will not pay local, county and state sales taxes on items such as clothing, school supplies, computers, and other items as defined by the statute. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 4080, 5600 and 6020 while brush would be cut on county road 4110. Mobray said a man would also be going to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal repair. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2185 and 3020 while only grading would be done on county roads 3040, 3165 and 5225. He also said rock would be added to county roads 3030 and 3160 while brush would be cut on county roads 3250, 3260, 3280 and 5340. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said a petition has been received from Denver Ellis to allow voters the chance to vote on the issue for taxpayers who may be eligible for a property tax credit if they are eligible for Social Security retirement benefits and are the “owner of record of or have a legal or equitable interest in a homestead” and are liable for real property tax payments on the property. Larson said the county’s legal counsel will verify the petition. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said absentee voting continues through Monday, August 5th at 5:00, and that voters should make sure their personal information is on file in the clerk’s office is up to date. Voters can also contact her office to see where they will be voting in the Primary on Tuesday, August 6th where the polls will be open from 6:00 in the morning until 7:00 in the evening. Her office phone number is 729-4144. Curley said her office in the courthouse will be open Saturday, August 3rd from 8:00 in the morning until noon for absentee voting. Dent County Recorder Cindy Ard spoke to the commission about three instances recently on fraudulent deeds. Ard said property owners out of state who own their property outright with no Deed of Trust have been most vulnerable. She said these attempts were caught in time, but said she will be sending out three to four hundred letters to out-of-state property owners to let them know this occurred.  She is still recommending property owners use a new website where you can sign up to find out if someone is recording a document or changing a recorded document with your name on it. The website is www.deedwatch.com and once signed up, you would receive an e-mail letting you know if a document is recorded with your name on it. There is no charge for this service. Just go to the website, and in the drop-down box, select Dent County, Missouri. In the second box, enter your e-mail that you want the notification to come to. From that point, just follow the simple directions to finish signing up. You could include the name that should be on your deed, or any other form of your name the deed may have been recorded. This service is provided by the Dent County Recorder’s Office to prevent anyone from being scammed out of their property or having someone attached their name to your deed without your knowledge. If you have questions about this service, contact Cindy Ard at the Dent County Recorder’s Office at 573-729-2198. You can also e-mail her at dcrecorder07@gmail.com. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will hold their regular meeting at 6:00 in the hospital library this evening. After the call to order and roll call the minutes of the June 18th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, and July 10th will be reviewed and approved followed by the Administrator’s Report. The board will hear the summary of operations for the month of June as well as statistics for the month. The board will hear about the 340B program, receive the Chief Nursing Officer report, the QAPI report, and be updated on Human Resources, plus the Chief of Staff Report. In old business the Board will hear a Strategic Planning update and discuss a tax levy increase. In new business, the Board will discuss meeting date and time, Conflict of Interest Resolution, and set the August Public Tax meeting.  The Board may vote to go into closed session. The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors meeting Tuesday night is open to the public. To attend the meeting electronically, contact the hospital administration office at (573) 729-6626, extension 4005.

The City of Salem’s Parks and Recreation Board will hold a workshop Monday at 5:30 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. After the call to order and roll call the Board will be updated on the City Pool and address 3-5-year plan goals. The meeting was called by Parks and Recreation Board President Carlos Lopez.

The Dent County Health Center will host a Town Hall Meeting on lead poisoning at the Salem Community Center at The Armory on Thursday at 5:30 pm. The event aims to educate residents about lead exposure risks and prevention, particularly for children. Health officials stress that any amount of lead is toxic in a child’s blood, with irreversible effects. They recommend annual testing for children ages 1-3, noting that Missouri has above-average blood lead levels nationally and is the country’s top lead-producing state. The meeting will cover lead exposure sources, health impacts, and ways to reduce risk. Topics include proper protective equipment use and hygiene practices for adults who may inadvertently bring lead home from work. The event is open to the public and limited to 50 participants due to space constraints. Light refreshments will be provided, and free lead testing will be available. For more information or to register, visit https://bit.ly/DCHClead/ or call 573-729-3106.

The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees held their regular meeting Tuesday, July 16th. Administrator Zach Moser presented the Service and Statistics report. In the Communicable Disease Report, he stated that there were 5 COVID-19 cases reported and the new strain is circulating, 41 lead cases, 21 screenings for sexually transmitted infections, one case of Influenza and 4 animal bites. The environmental report showed there where 7 total inspections conducted, no recalls, no sewer complaints, and 12 environmental questions were fielded. The Maternal-Child Health (MCH) statistics showed there was no CPR Course, one consultation for Childcare Health, 3 Show-Me Healthy Women appointments, 23 Title X appointments, 2 Presumptive Eligibilities (Temporary Medicaid) and 326 WIC appointments. The Community-Specific Services Summary showed 402 total appointments other than WIC, 118 Nurse Practitioner appointments, 118 treatment court visits, 155 lab appointments and 20 immunization appointments. Nurse Practitioner Service Details showed 4 Show-Me Healthy Women appointments, 4 family plannings, 2 well-child visits, 12 online appointments, 2 other well-woman exams, 7 other physicals, 22 SEMO physicals, 11 other visits, and 54 acute illness appointments. Laboratory details showed 210 individual patients, 3 appointments for Rapid Test for COVID, Flu, RSV or Strep, 21 pregnancy tests and 9 lead tests. Immunizations for June totaled none for COVID-19 or for Influenza, and 44 for other vaccines, including the new RSV vaccine and new formulations of pneumonia vaccine. In the Administrator’s report, Moser reported that there will be a Lead Poisoning Townhall meeting that is open to the public on August 1st at 5:30 at the Community Center @ the Armory and Back to School Festival Teacher Immunization on August 3rd from 9:00-12:00. Activities of the DCHC included staff attendance at the National NACCHO IPC Summit and Administrators’ Training in Jefferson City. Progress on the DCHC Strategic Plan was discussed. The Health Center financial reports for June, including the overall results from H & R Block, were reviewed and were approved. In new business a table of CD rates was presented from all four local banks. The Board moved to purchase a $250,000 12-month CD from Progressive Ozark Bank at 4.75%. The Board also approved the creation of an Administrative Assistant/Marketing/Public Relations/Accreditation Coordinator position. The next regular meeting of the Board was set for Thursday, August 22nd at 5:00.

Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley has released information on a number of cases heard in front of Judge Michael Randazzo on Wednesday, July 24th. In the first case heard, Rocky Barton of Salem pled guilty to the felony possession of a controlled substance and sodomy in the 2nd degree. Barton was sentenced to twelve years in the Missouri Department of Corrections as requested by Prosecutor Curley. The case of Trent Corbett of Waynesville was heard where he pled guilty to felony driving while having his license revoked. Corbett was sentenced to four months in prison as requested by the prosecutor. In the last case heard, Joshua Black of Salem pled guilty to felony charges of driving with a revoked license and the possession of a controlled substance, fentanyl. Black was sentenced to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections under the Section 217.362 long term drug treatment program.

An accident occurred Thursday afternoon at 1:20 in Dent County on Highway 32 near County Road 5110. According to the Highway Patrol report an eastbound 2013 Harley Davidson, operated by 82-year-old James Shull of Salem, went off the left side of the roadway striking a tree and ejecting the driver. Shull suffered serious injuries and was flown by Air Evac to Mercy St. Louis. The report stated that Shull was wearing safety equipment at the time of the accident. The motorcycle was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors met Monday night, July 22nd, at the firehouse with Mary Martin from American Midwest Insurance and Mike Elliott from Town and Country Insurance in attendance to discuss the insurance policies for the fire department. The bid from Midwestern Insurance through VFIS was for $23,686.00 while the bid from Town and Country Insurance through Provident came in at $24,494. The board then heard from both Mary Martin from Midwestern Insurance and Mike Elliott from Town and Country Insurance before discussing both policies and the best coverage for the department as well as firefighters. After the discussion, the board elected to stay with the current policy through Town and Country Insurance by a 2-1 vote with one board member abstaining. The meeting was then adjourned.

An accident occurred in Phelps County Wednesday night at 10:35 on County Road 8260 one and six tenths of a mile east of Highway C. According to the Highway Patrol report a westbound 2008 Ford Focus RS, driven by a 16-year-old male juvenile from Rolla, traveled off the left side of the roadway, went down an embankment, and overturned. The driver and a passenger, another 16-year-old male juvenile, suffered minor injuries and were transported by Phelps Health EMS to Phelps Health. The report went on to state that both juveniles were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by D & D Towing.

Last Friday’s judging at the 4-H and FFA Expo began with the Poultry Show. Judge Brad Buttram from Hollister, Missouri selected Hank Phelps’ Market Meat Chicken Pen as Grand Champion and the Reserve Champion Pen was shown by Waylon Smith. Phelps also took home the Champion Cockerel and Champion Cock and Hen Pair. The Intermediate Showmanship Award went to Baylee Parks and Karlie Jex won the Junior Showmanship. Six pens of Market Meat Rabbits competed with Hank Phelps taken the Grand Champion for this species as well. Charlee Duncan’s pen took home the Reserve Champion Award. Rabbit Breeding stock classes were won by Jenna Murr, Hank Phelps, and Evelyn Bethel. Junior Rabbit Showmanship went to Jenna Murr and Charlee Duncan won the Intermediate Showmanship Award. The Beef Cattle Show began with the Breeding Division. Judge Ethan Drake chose Everliegh Dillon’s heifer as the Grand Champion Hereford and Levi Gilliam’s Cow/calf Pair as Reserve Champion Hereford. Grand Champion Ribbons and Banners went to Rhett Simpson’s Simmental Heifer, Kohen Garrison’s Charolais Heifer, Greta Vogel’s Cross Bred Heifer, and Brentlee Easter’s All Other Breeds Heifer. The Market Steer Show saw 40 steers compete for championship honors in 8 market classes and one light weight class for those that didn’t meet minimum average daily gain requirements. Market class winners were Brady Schafer, John Cunningham, Ray Cunningham, Brantley Thompson, Kohen Garrison, Kallen Garrison, Kennedy Chapman and Makena Faulkner. The Grand Champion Banner and Ribbon went to Kennedy Chapman. Her brother Kacy Chapman’s steer, which stood second in their class, was brought into the ring and walked away with the Reserve Champion honors. The Champion Average Daily Gain Award went to Brady Schafer’s steer, while the Reserve Champion ADG went to Kash Howard. Very competitive showmanship competition resulted in the Junior Beef Showmanship for ages 8-12 being won by Rhett Simpson, the 13-15-year-old Intermediate Beef Showmanship was won by John Cunningham, and the senior division for 16-19-year-old went to Ray Cunningham. 

The Missouri Department of Transportation’s Traveler Information Map is now accessible through internet browsers on mobile devices. The update allows the map to be displayed on mobile devices without having to download the Traveler Information Map App. The map provides the traveling public with traffic updates, road conditions, closures, and more. Customers can now access this information through their mobile device’s browser. The mobile app version will still be available for download and will provide the same up-to-date information.