Local News – Friday, May 14th, 2021
City utility bills for consumption from January 9th, 2021 through February 8th, 2021 were mailed last week. If you have not received your bill or if you have questions about your bill, please stop by or call the utility office at (573) 729-4117. In response to user requests for utility billing to reflect more recent consumption the next utility bills will be for consumption from February 8th, 2021 through May 15th, 2021 with customers having the option to pay their account in full or if eligible, to request a payment plan. Penalties and disconnects for non-payment will resume on July 1st, 2021. Information about the upcoming bills for consumption through 5/15/2021 along with any updated information regarding utility bills will be mailed to utility customers on or around May 19th, 2021. If you have a past-due balance, please bring your account current or make payment arrangements by July 1st, 2021 to avoid being disconnected. Are you in need of utility payment assistance? Make it easy to seek financial assistance through the South Central Community Action Agency, Catholic Charities, and The Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit. These organizations will be available each Tuesday through the end of May from 10:30 in the morning until 1:00 in the afternoon at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road. Check the www.salemmo.com website for information on available resources for assistance or call (573) 729-4117.
The Missouri Department of Conservation has announced it has updated its website to offer a new look and better navigation for users. According to MDC, most of the web content will remain where it was while other content has been moved to better fit where visitors expect to find it. MDC had about 6.8 million visitors to its website last year. You can visit MDC’s updated website for a new look and easier navigation at mdc.mo.gov. Key improvements users may notice are better search results thanks to a new search engine powering the site, easier to find information on buying permits, and a new section on invasive and nuisance animal and plant species. Popular webpages that have been improved include “Places to Go” to discover nature on MDC areas, the online “Field Guide” to help users identify Missouri plants and animals, and the hunting and fishing “Species A-Z” pages to help identify game species. The new website also provides a better user experience on mobile devices, specifically Android devices. Some Android users reported having navigation issues on our existing website, so MDC wanted to ensure the new site works smoothly on all devices. The number-one goal of the MDC website is to have as many visitors complete the tasks they came to the site for as quickly and easily as possibly. It was noted that the staff used input from the website’s public comment form and regular website survey results to determine changes and priorities when working on the website.
SEMO Behavioral Health’s Show Me Hope Crisis Counseling Program will host the first annual Mental Health Awareness Walk/Run this Saturday at the Salem City Park in Salem. This free event will begin at 3:00 and is designed to raise awareness and remove stigmas associated with mental health in our community during Mental Health Awareness Month. In addition to the Walk/Run, there will be food available for purchase including burgers, hot dogs and baked goods. Local vendors will also be on hand to display their products and community mental health partners will distribute information about local services and there will be prize drawings in addition to activities and giveaways for the kids. For more information taking part in the Mental Health Awareness Walk/Run please contact Jodie Richter, Crisis Counselor, by emailing hrichter@semobh.org or call 573-330-2544.
The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will conduct their May meeting at noon on Tuesday in the hospital library. After the approval of the minutes from the April 20th meeting, Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas will report on the summary of the operations and statistics for the month of April followed by the Chief of Nursing Report from Debbie Hines. A report on the hospital foundation, plus the marketing and community perception report will be given by Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards. Lucas will give the Chief of Staff report before he gives an update on the Hospital expansion and renovation, Cerner conversion, and a report on the Finance Committee Meeting. New business may consist of the review of purchases since the last meeting and a report on the SMDH imaging. The board may vote to go into closed session. The SMDH Board meeting is open to the public provided they wear a mask to the meeting.