Local News – Monday, March 14th, 2022

A Salem woman was injured in an accident that happened on Tuesday evening, March 1st just after 7:30. According to report from the Salem Police Department a 2007 Ford Expedition being operated by Laura Benstine of Salem was stopped in traffic facing west on Rolla Road due to a transmission failure. Benstine exited the vehicle to speak with a Dent County deputy who was assisting on the scene. As the deputy was backing up to clear a space to provide for removal of the vehicle, Benstine got back in the vehicle and put the transmission in neutral then got back out of the vehicle. The Ford began to roll backward out of control, striking Benstine with the open front door knocking her to the roadway. The vehicle then began turning to the right sweeping over top of the driver pinning her underneath the Expedition. Deputies and several people standing near by were able to move the vehicle off the driver. Benstine was taken to the helipad at SMDH and was flown by Air Evac to Mercy St. Louis Hospital. Salem police were assisted on the scene by the Dent County Sheriff’s department and the Missouri State Highway patrol.

Salem High School Senior Justin Arthur from the Salem R-80 Construction Trades Program placed first in the district for the practical application of carpentry at the SkillsUSA competition hosted in Lebanon on Wednesday, March 2nd. Justin also scored third place for a written carpentry test. Justin is now eligible to participate in the state competition that will be held April 7th through the 9th at Missouri State Technical College in Linn. Depending on his placement there, he may be eligible for the national competition. Jason McCarter of Salem scored third in the skills portion and, if either first or second place winners cannot participate, he will be eligible to compete at state. The Salem R-80 Construction Trades Program is instructed by A.J. Tinker.

The Salem Police Department have released a report confirming the arrest of 57-year-old Timothy Bruce Dooley from Salem after a search warrant was served Sunday evening, March 6th, on his government subsidized apartment on 502 West Independence in Salem. He was charged with three felony counts of distribution of a controlled substance in a protected location and three misdemeanor counts of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $500,000. As a result of the search warrant, approximately 16 grams of methamphetamine, 104 heroin beans, 19 grams of loose heroin, 199 grams of marijuana along with numerous items of drug paraphernalia were seized. Cash was also found in the amount of about $14,000. Dooley was interviewed at the Salem Police Department and admitted to the distribution of heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana. After the interview was concluded, Dooley was taken to the Dent County Jail.

The Missouri Department of Conservation will begin allowing the expanded use of bicycles and electric bicycles on many department-area service roads and multi-use trails starting February 28th. Multi-use trails allow a variety of users, such as horseback riders, bicyclists, and hikers. Service roads are non-public roads on MDC areas used by staff to conduct resource management activities. Many service roads are currently used as walking paths by the public. MDC notes that conditions of service roads on department areas vary and are not maintained at the level of public-use trails and public roads. The regulation change will impact approximately 300 MDC areas and provide access to more than 1,500 additional miles of roads for cyclists. Approximately 30 of these areas will be closed to bicycle and electric bicycle use during all portions of the firearms deer hunting season and the spring turkey hunting seasons. Bicycle use on most of MDC’s approximately 1,100 conservation areas is still restricted to roads open to public-vehicle traffic and some multi-use trails because the areas do not have applicable service roads. Bicycles are not allowed on service roads on department lands associated with nature and education centers, fish hatcheries, staffed ranges, offices, designated natural areas where bicycle use could cause damage to sensitive habitats, and other conservation areas. Electric bicycles are defined by MDC as “any two-wheeled or three-wheeled device equipped with fully operable pedals, a saddle or seat for the rider, and an electric motor of not more than 750 watts. MDC adds that cyclists are expected to follow appropriate trail etiquette, including yielding to pedestrians and horseback riders, maintaining a safe speed, staying on designated trails or service roads, and avoiding damaging trails by not riding in wet conditions. Find MDC multi-use bicycle trails and allowed service roads online through the MDC webpage titled “Find Places to Go” at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places. Bike trails can be searched for by using the Advanced Search feature. Service roads can be identified by searching for a conservation area and then checking the online map for the area to see if service roads exist that allow bicycles.