Local News – Monday, March 15th, 2021
An accident occurred Thursday morning at 11:25 in Phelps County on Highway 63 about two miles north of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, a 2000 Lincoln Towncar driven by 54-year-old Cathy Wisdom of Salem was traveling southbound when the Lincoln slid off the right side of the roadway on the rain slicked pavement and struck a rock embankment. Wisdom suffered moderate injuries and was transported by the Phelps Health Ambulance to Phelps Health in Rolla. Wisdom was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Lincoln was totaled and removed from the scene by Tune’s Towing.
The Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting tonight at the City Hall Council Chambers at 7:00 in their regular meeting. The agenda shows that four people will be speaking to the board under the Hearing of Persons section. The first person to speak will be Noah Wills who will be discussing changing the city deposit waiting period; Jim and Maryann Williams want to speak about the water bill at rental property; Jan Cunningham will speak to the board about getting sewer and water for the property at 1805 South Main Street known as Tiny’s Automotive; and Crystal Pilkington will address the board about holding a Senior Parade starting at Country Mart and ending the high school. The board will hear and discuss two bids for a compact tractor and UTV for the Salem Park and Recreation Department before discussing bids on an Emergency Response Plan which is an EPA requirement for water systems that serve between 3,300 and 50,000 people. Following the consent agenda, the board will hear a report from City Administrator Ray Walden who will update the board on numerous city projects. The meeting will then be adjourned. The Board of Aldermen meeting tonight is open to the public.
The Salem Police Department has released some reports for the beginning of March. On Monday, March first near noon, an officer arrested a man on an active warrant for their arrest after contacting the subject at the Salem Police Department. The man, a 28-year-old Salem resident was able to post bond and was released with a court date. On Wednesday afternoon, March 3rd at about 4:15, an officer was dispatched to the 100 block of East Tenth Street for a report of a suspicious male knocking on doors. Contact was made with the man and it was found that he had active warrants for his arrest. As a result, the 26-year-old Salem man was arrested and incarcerated on his warrants. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have information regarding any ongoing investigation.
This St. Patrick’s Day holiday, make sure your luck doesn’t run out. Plan for a sober ride home should you choose to take part in the celebration. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety reminds motorists of the various options available to get everyone home safely. Designating a sober driver, calling a ride share, or using public transportation are just a few of those options. Remember, if you feel different, you drive different. Law enforcement agencies across Missouri will be participating in additional patrols to prevent the often-deadly consequences of impaired driving. Their message is clear: drive sober or get pulled over. Based on 2020 preliminary data, 188 people were killed in Missouri traffic crashes that involved at least one substance-impaired driver. Besides driving completely sober from alcohol and drugs, motorists are also advised to slow down, put their cellphones down while driving and always buckle up – everyone, every trip, every time. Show-Me Zero is designed to give all Missourians a better understanding of the crash problem in our state and identify specific ways everyone can help. From individuals and families to local and statewide organizations, we all play a role in making Missouri roadways safer. The plan can be viewed at savemolives.com and hits on four key messages: Buckle up. Phone down. Slow down. Drive sober. To learn more, visit the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety website at savemolives.com, or follow them on social media at Save MO Lives.
The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will conduct their March meeting Tuesday evening in the hospital library beginning at 6:00. After the call to order, Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas will report on the summary of the operations and statistics for the month of February 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 then go over the COVID-19 update and provide an update to the board on the Hospital expansion and renovation. He will also discuss the Conflict of Interest Policy and report on the Finance Committee Meeting. New business will consist of the review of purchases since the last meeting. The board may vote to go into closed session. Due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, the March meeting of the Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will be conducted by zoom. The meeting is open to anyone to join. For information on how to access the meeting via zoom, please contact Karen Brown at (573) 729-5917, extension 4005 or by email at kbrown@smdh.net.