Your World Today

The Salem and Dent County 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction was held this past Saturday at The Commons that raised an unofficial total of $313,500.37 through animal bids and another $13,200 in ribbon bids for a total of $326,700.37. This figure also includes resales. Auctioneers Roger Schafer and Brady Hagler auctioned off three pens of market chickens for $1,246.50, eight pens of market rabbits for $1,721.02, eight cured meats brought in $2,848.65, 19 market goats sold for $15,396.20, 15 market lambs fetched $16,261.25, 56 market hog sales raised $105,020.50, the 37 market steers raised $171,006.25. The top ten buyers at the auction this year were the Bank of Salem, Curt’s Mobile Homes, County Fuels, Interstate Regional Stockyards, Phil-Mart, Town and Country Bank, Farm Bureau-Willie Strader, Agent; Rushing Construction, Roberts-Judson Lumber Company and  Steelman Abstract and Title Company. The Salem FFA Chapter and all the Dent County 4-H Clubs thank everyone who attended the auction this year for their generosity and support. If you missed this year’s auction you can go back and watch it on either the KSMO YouTube page or Facebook page.

The Salem R-80 School District held its regular board meeting on Thursday. Shortly after the meeting began, it was noted by Superintendent Dr. Nathan Wills that the district plans to begin live streaming their regular board meetings in August. The board then moved to the Superintendent’s report, headed by Dr. Wills, He stated he has started to receive scores from last school year’s Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) and End of Course Exam (EOC), and they “look promising”. The materials for the greenhouse have been delivered and construction is anticipated to proceed as scheduled, with the building to be completed by mid to late August. The building principals then gave several updates on how they are getting ready for the start of a new year. The “New Tiger Training” will be held on August 13th & 14th. The first day will be a walk through on what to expect on the first day of school, and the second day will be a rundown of how to use the various technologies provided by the school. The middle school is planning to implement policy changes regarding students’ personal devices. These policy changes will be announced via the Salem R-80 Facebook page in the coming weeks. The district has implemented online registration this year for returning students through Infinite Campus that began Monday, July 8th and ended Sunday, July 21st. Online registration for new students is now going on through the parent portal. Walk-in registration for new students will be held on Friday, August 2nd from 8:00 AM until 3:00 PM at the high school library. If you have questions about registration, contact kara.constance@salemr80.org or check out the Salem R-80 Facebook Page for more information. In new business, the bids for the roof repairs were compared by the board and in a 6-0 unanimous vote, the board chose the bid from SRI Constructors. The board unanimously approved the 2024-2025 meal prices and also approved the bid to provide fiber to the Tin Gym with Advanced Telephone LLC by a 6-0 vote. A motion was made to consider the Progressive Ozark Bank Season Pass debit card, which the board passed in a 6-0 vote. The board set the Tax Rate Hearing before the regular board meeting on August 15th at 5:15 to be followed by the regular board meeting. The board then went into closed session where they unanimously approved the salaries of Mary Hinkle and Brian Andrews, and extending the contract of Carmen Vaughn by five days. Also in closed session, the board made a motion to approve Tammy Herpich as a teacher pending a background check, hiring John Smith, approved Brandon Schloemer as a middle school football volunteer, and Lonnie Lee as the Assistant Track Coach. Dr. Wills also notified the board of internal moves of upper elementary school registered nurse Jody Parker, aide Christine Smith at William Lynch Elementary and bus driver Terry Nash. The board also discussed real estate issues before ending closed session and adjourning the meeting.

An accident happened in Dent County at 5:50 Friday evening on Highway 32 about a mile west of Route MM. According to the highway patrol report, a 2007 Chevy Silverado 1500 driven eastbound by 25-year-old Brandon Clark of Viburnum, was traveling too fast for a curve and went off the right side of the roadway and overturned. Clark suffered minor injuries and was evaluated at the scene by the Salem Ambulance crew. The Chevy Silverado was totaled and removed from the scene by Blackie’s Towing. Clark was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident.

All this week the City of Salem, in partnership with the Missouri Rural Water Association (MRWA), will conduct smoke testing on the main sewer trunk line. The testing will cover an arc from the southern part of town to the Wastewater Treatment Plant on the north along Salem’s eastern edge. This maintenance procedure involves introducing non-toxic smoke into the sewer system to identify leaks or improper connections, ensuring efficient system operation. While the testing primarily focuses on the main trunk line, residents may notice smoke emerging from sewer drains or related fixtures. Officials emphasize this is normal and does not indicate a fire or hazard. For more information, contact the City of Salem Public Works Department at 573-729-4811, ext 110.

The Dent County Fire Protection Board of Directors will hold a special meeting this evening at 6:00 at the Dent County Firehouse for the purpose of discussing insurance policies for the department. The meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Commission met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the courthouse. Road and Bridge Department grader operators Danny Wethy, Steve Lundy, Travis Turner and Norman Bell were in attendance. Also in attendance was Second District Commissioner Candidate Denver Ellis. During public comments Second District Commissioner Gary Polk confronted Ellis about comments he alleged Ellis had made during his interview with Stan Stevens on KSMO Radio. Ellis denied Polk’s accusations and shared his viewpoint of the comments he’d made. Polk reviewed the hours and years of grader operation experience for each man, plus commented about the training they had received. Turner explained how they pull ditches, crown the roads and grade them. He also explained the modern technology in the graders, the grading processes, and how each road actually grades different each time the graders go over them. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson pointed out that the operators have gone to proper training. First District Commissioner Wes Mobray noted that budget limitations only allow so much that they road crews can do to the roadways. The four men were thanked for their attendance as they left the Commissioners’ Office. In the road report Mobray said that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5525, 6070, and 6255, while brush would be cut on county road 6180. Polk reported that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2050, 2060, 4270, and 4280, plus rock would be hauled to county road 2070. He also noted that 3/8-inch chips were being stockpiled for Chip and Seal patching, plus grader blades were being replaced on Grader #37. Larson reported that the Tourism Tax Committee meeting was moved to Tuesday night where two proposals were presented, and two reimbursement requests were approved. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said that bills were being approved for payment and that absentee voting continues. She encouraged voters to update their voter registration information ASAP and any questions should be directed to her office at (573) 729-4144. Curley also noted that electioneering is not allowed within 25 feet of the polls and voters will need a photo id. Mobray also reported that he and Collector Shannon Vankirk went to a Bunker City Alderman meeting to discuss SB190. The Commissioners voted 3-0 to set the 2024 Tax Rate Hearing for General Revenue, Road and Bridge, SB40, and the Senior Citizens Service Fund for August 22nd at 10:00. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Monday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The St. James community is mourning the loss of a 31-year-old woman who was fatally struck by a vehicle while crossing an intersection with a juvenile at N. Jefferson and Highway B around 9 Wednesday night. The juvenile who sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. Despite a swift emergency response from, the St. James Police Department, St. James Fire Department, St. James Ambulance District, Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, and Mercy Life Line Air Medical Services the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. An investigation into the accident is currently underway by the St. James Police Department and the Phelps County Coroner’s Office. The families affected are requesting privacy during this difficult time.

The Dent County 4-H and FFA Expo is going on now at the Commons. Today the Hog Show will begin at 7:00 this morning, followed by the Sheep and Goat Show. Later in the afternoon the Small Animal Show will start at 1:00. The Beef and Dairy Show will start at 2:00 then to cap off the day, a Buyer Supper will begin at 6:30 in the evening. Then tomorrow the 4-H FFA Market Sale will begin at 9:00 in the morning. KSMO Media will be on hand to live stream the event on their three streaming platforms, YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook. KSMO Radio 1340 AM and 95.7 FM will broadcast the live audio.

The Creative Arts Center will have a Christmas in July Ceramics Paint Party on Friday July 26th from 6:00 in the evening till 8:00. Spend a relaxing few hours painting nostalgic Christmas keepsakes. They’ll have various sizes of ceramic Christmas trees available to glaze and fire, as well as other ceramic figurines, plates, bowls, cups, etc. What better way to bring the Christmas spirit into the heat of summer, than to paint some memorable pieces to pass down from generation to generation! The cost is $5 and will go towards the cost of your ceramic pieces. To register, go the SACBA website and find the Programs tab. Find the Creative Arts Center and click to register for the class.

The Dent County 4-H and FFA Expo is underway. Exhibit Entries were judged yesterday followed by the dessert auction in the evening. Today, livestock registration will be from 9:30 until 11:30 and all livestock must be in place by 11:00am. Livestock weigh-ins are scheduled to start at noon. The “Pig Pals” show is at 5:00 followed by the exhibitor and family supper at 6:30. Friday’s shows will kick off at 7:00 with the hog show, followed by the Sheep and Goat Show. The Small Animal show is scheduled to start at 1:00 and it will be followed by the Beef and Dairy Show. Buyer supper is at 6:30. Saturday will be the culmination of the Expo with the 4-H and FFA Market Sale at 9:00. For additional information contact the Dent County Extension office at (573) 729-3196.

To celebrate 35 years of river conservation, Stream Teams United and the Missouri Stream Team Program are hosting the 2024 Watershed Celebration at Meramec State Park on Saturday, July 27th. Missouri Stream Teams from around the state are invited to attend the festival, which also celebrates the 25th anniversary of Stream Teams United, a non-profit partner of the program. The Missouri Stream Team Program is a volunteer-led effort to conserve Missouri streams. Sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the Conservation Federation of Missouri, the program focuses on education, stewardship, and advocacy for Missouri stream resources. In 1988, a small group of anglers became fed up with unsightly trash disrupting their fishing in Roubidoux Creek in Pulaski County. These conservation-minded Missourians decided to clean this section of stream, thus forming the first Missouri Stream Team in 1989. The Roubidoux Fly Fishers Association, Stream Team #1, is still going strong 35 years later. The program has since grown to more than 6,000 Stream Teams around the state with more than 135,000 volunteers. MDC Evgagement Specialist Cara Coates Coates says the ongoing work of more than 6,000 Stream Teams and their volunteers have made significant positive impacts on the health of Missouri’s streams over the last 35 years. That work includes volunteers giving more than 3.5 million hours of time, removing more than 14,127 tons of trash from Missouri waterways, planting 405,794 trees along streams, conducting 35,049 water quality monitoring trips, and stenciling 21,741 storm drains. As part of the Missouri Stream Team Program celebrations they invite all Teams to attend the 28th Annual Watershed Celebration at Meramec State Park on Saturday, July 27. The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes lunch provided by the Missouri Stream Team Program, kids games and crafts, tubing on the Meramec River with complimentary shuttle and other activities including free camping offered to Stream Teams Friday and Saturday evenings on a first-come, first-serve at Group Site A at Meramec State Park. Registration is required to estimate attendance. To learn more about Missouri Stream Teams and how you can participate, visit mostreamteam.org.

Onondaga Cave State Park will celebrate the reopening of its famous cave on Friday, July 19, at 10 a.m. with a special lighting ceremony. The cave has been closed while a new LED lighting system was installed, marking the completion of the first of several revenue bond projects for Missouri State Parks. Discovered in 1886 and opened for tours in 1904, Onondaga Cave has been a popular tourist attraction for 120 years. As a National Natural Landmark, it draws over 20,000 visitors annually to view its rare and majestic speleothems. The new LED system replaces the outdated incandescent lighting installed in the 1950s. This upgrade will benefit the cave’s ecosystem by reducing invasive algae growth and providing a more suitable environment for cave-dwelling creatures. Onondaga Cave State Park is located at 7556 Highway H in Leasburg. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Energy is now accepting applications for subgrants under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), with applications being accepted through July 30th. Nearly $2.4 million is available to local governments for projects that will promote energy savings, energy conservation or emissions reductions in communities that were not eligible for formula EECBG funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. Applicants may request between $100,000 and $500,000 for eligible projects. To learn more about EECBG and download the required application forms, visit dnr.mo.gov/energy/grants-loans/efficiency-conservation-block-grant. Questions about the application process can be directed to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Energy at energy@dnr.mo.gov, 573-751-2254 or toll-free at 855-522-2796.