Your World Today

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning for their regular meeting. Numerous landowners from Dent County Roads 3290 and 3300 were in attendance to discuss problems with the truck traffic primarily from Royal Oak since their expansion a couple years ago. The landowners say the truck traffic on a daily basis now is unbelievable. The drivers are following GPS instructions which is taking them down county roads with tractor-trailer units and semi-trucks which are doing major damage to the county roads, both gravel and chip and seal. Many of these drivers actually have to back up on the roads for miles to get back out on a highway, while other drivers are getting stuck when they realize they can’t turn around and are actually driving through residents yards leaving deep ruts and damaging their property, knocking down signs, and destroying ditch lines. Many of the concerns of the residents were that when these events happen, they can’t get a quick response from the Dent County Sheriff’s Department or the highway patrol when they call to report an incident or write a ticket. Dent County Sheriff Bob Wells produced dispatcher records that showed deputies responded to some 11 calls in that area in about an 18 day stretch, but they have no authority to write tickets for the truck using the road as use of the road is controlled by the state. The commission has discussed this with MoDOT Central District Engineer Michelle Watkins about putting up signage, but she said MoDOT won’t do that as they say they would have to do that for every road in the county and City of Salem. The county had put up 10-ton weight limit signs on the roads, but they have either been knocked down or stolen, plus the Dent County Sheriff’s Department would have to have portable scales to enforce that restriction which they do not. The commission has ordered some new signage for the roads prohibiting large truck traffic on some roads, but they have not yet arrived. The commission felt the best thing to do was to try to get a meeting with Royal Oak and find a solution to the truck routing problem that currently exists. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams gave the CART Tax report and said the county received $81,593.77 this month which is $15,857.26 more than for May of 2023 when the county received $65,736.51. Year-to-date, the county is up $13,857.26 in CART funds. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 4220, 5490 and 6660 while brush would be cut on county road 5080. He said workers would also be patching pot holes on chip and seal roads with the Ultimate Paving Material. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 3200 and 5260, while only grading would be done on county road 6123. He said brush would be cut on county road 4290. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he attended the Tourism Tax Committee meeting where five proposals were received and all five were approved. They also had five requests for reimbursement with one being rejected for the lack of paperwork. The county clerk’s office balanced with the Dent County Treasurer on all accounts for the month of April. The courthouse will be closed for Memorial Day Monday and the next meeting will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and it is open to the public.

The Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start to the boating season. During the 2023 Memorial Day weekend, there were 10 boating crashes which included no fatalities and two injuries. No one drowned over last year’s Memorial Day weekend. Last year, troopers made 137 driving while intoxicated and eight boating while intoxicated arrests. This year’s Memorial Day holiday counting period begins at 6:00 Friday evening and ends at 11:59 Monday night. Every available trooper will be on the water, enforcing Missouri laws and assisting people. Expect an increase in boating traffic on the state’s lakes and rivers. Always wear a life jacket when near, on, or in the water. Be courteous and pay attention, whether you’re operating a vehicle or a vessel, and choose to be a sober driver on land and on the water. A safe, fun weekend is the result of planning and making good decisions. Motorists or boaters in need of assistance or who want to report a crime should use the Highway Patrol’s Emergency Assistance number 1-800-525-5555 (or *55 on a cellular phone). Have a safe and prosperous Memorial Day weekend!

An accident happened Wednesday afternoon at 5:15 in Texas County on Route BB about four miles west of Highway 63. According to the highway patrol report, a 1997 Polaris Express 300 being operated by 43-year-old Norman Jackson of Licking, was traveling westbound when he was struck from behind by a 2006 Hyundai Elantra being driven by 36-year-old Victoria Waldrop of Houston. Both Jackson and Waldrop suffered moderate injuries and were both taken by Texas County EMS to the Texas County Memorial hospital. The Polaris was totaled and removed from the scene by Jay’s Towing at the request of the responding officer. The Elantra sustained moderate damage and was able to be driven from the scene. The report went on to state that Waldrop was wearing a seat restraint while Jackson was not using any safety equipment.

A press release from City Administrator Sally Burbridge states that the intersection of West Dent Street and South Henderson Street will be temporarily closed this morning at 7:30 to repair a water main. The city does apologize for any inconvenience and asks that you keep the safety of our crew in mind if you are in the area.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors will celebrate the arrival of their new apparatus with a “Push-in Ceremony” tonight at 6:00, weather permitting. Any and all community members that might like to witness such an event here in Dent County all welcome to attend. This type of ceremony dates back to the days of horse-drawn equipment when members had to push the equipment into the bay. Over time, with the invention and adoption of motorized apparatus, the need to manually move the equipment was gone. However, the legacy of the push-in was secured. Now in honor of those crews, many fire departments hold a push-in ceremony when taking delivery of a new apparatus or in this case, new to the Dent County Fire Protection District.

The Salem Memorial Hospital held their monthly board meeting this past Tuesday. Prior to the regularly scheduled meeting, a presentation by Carmen Cooper and Tabitha Stone of the National Rural Health Resource Center was given to the board. The presentation covered SMH’s progress through the Delta Region Health Systems Development Program since their entry in September of 2021. Carmen lead the presentation as she praised SMH’s progress and outlined SMH’s remaining modules required for program completion. The board, lead by Interim CEO Wes Murray, reassured her that while the hospital is in a leadership transition they’re committed to completing the program and will schedule the remaining project modules after the new CEO Brooke Bollman is on-board July 1. Tabatha Stone then spoke primarily to newer board members summarizing the Delta program and answered questions. Following the presentation, the regular board meeting was held with the exception of Wanda Tatom who was not present. In the Administrator’s Report, Interim CEO Wes Murray commented that Hospital Week went very well as he toured and visited several departments. He also said the foundation golf tournament will be held June 7th at the Spring Creek Golf Club. Chief Financial Officer Kayla Chamberlain reported the hospital had a gain from operations of $385,630 with an excess of revenues over expenses of $396,583. Chamberlain reported hospital admissions in April were 73 which included five Swingbed and 34 observation admissions with a total of 218 patient census days. In April, there were 1,468 Outpatient Registrations, 801 Cardiopulmonary Procedures, 6,835 Lab Tests, 1,169 Radiology Procedures, 763 Rehabilitation Treatments and 23 Surgical Procedures. There were 596 Emergency Room visits with 54 patients being admitted. A total of 212 ambulance runs were made with 158 patients being transported. She said days cash on hand at the end of April was 27. The clinic had a profit from direct operations for the month of $104,297, and the hospital cash flow statement showed an increase in cash for April of $560,800. In the Chief Nursing Officer report, Emily Hunter was named the “Nurse of the Year” with Stephanie Cooper the runner-up during Nurses’ Week. A number of nursing positions are open including Chief Nursing Officer and anyone interested should check out the availabilites at SMDH.net. In April, there were eight new hires and one person left the hospital employment. The board approved new staff privileges for Andrew Smith, MD in telepsychology; and Christine Orsmby, MD and Selasi Naakhaima, MD in teleradiology. In new business, the organizational chart was updated, discussion on a tax levy increase was tabled, and discussion about an employee salary increase was tabled until after the finance committee meets which will be on June 14th at noon. The board then went into closed session.

Memorial Day weekend brings Missouri to life with busy state parks, lakes, and attractions, along with sporting events, barbecues, and gatherings of friends and family. Our state has a lot to offer, especially when the weather is nice. A little planning will go a long way to making your Memorial Day weekend activities a success. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reminds everyone to include safety when they plan their holiday weekend. Everyone should expect more travelers on Missouri’s roadways. Drivers are reminded to follow all Missouri’s laws and be courteous. Always wear a seat belt when traveling in a vehicle. This year’s Memorial Day holiday counting period begins at 6:00 this Friday evening, and ends at 11:59 Monday night. Every available trooper will be on the road enforcing Missouri laws and assisting people. Troopers on our roadways will focus their attention on hazardous moving violations, speed violations, and impaired drivers. The Patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness Reduction Effort) during Memorial Day weekend. Over the 2023 Memorial Day holiday weekend, 13 people died and 403 were injured in 990 traffic crashes. (Troopers worked 287 traffic crashes involving 12 fatalities and 117 injuries.) For road condition reports, travelers can call 1-888-275-6636. Motorists are encouraged to do their part to make Missouri’s roadways safer. Speed, inattention, and impaired driving are leading causes of traffic crashes. Please obey all traffic laws and make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint.

As Americans fire up their grills for Memorial Day celebrations, a new study by US Foods settles the age-old hot dog debate and reveals the secrets to crafting the perfect hot dog. This all-American summertime staple has fueled barbecue debates nationwide, especially over ideal toppings. According to survey data, the perfect hot dog is grilled on a white bun, topped with mustard, ketchup, onions, relish, and chili. The study shows 93% of Americans love hot dogs with Chicago-style reigning supreme. Americans are eating an average of 2 hot dogs a month and are willing to spend $5.88 on a hot dog. The most popular sides are French fries, potato salad, potato chips, baked beans, and macaroni and cheese.