Local News – Thursday, February 22nd, 2024

The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees held their regular meeting Thursday, February 15th. The minutes of the January 25th regular meeting were approved followed by the Service and Statistics report by Administrator Zach Moser. In the Communicable Disease Report, he stated that there were 25 COVID-19 cases reported, 42 lead cases, 20 screenings for sexually transmitted infections, 39 cases of Influenza and 7 animal bites. Assistant Administrator Roma Jones gave the environmental report where 5 total inspections were conducted, there were no recalls, no sewer complaints, and 15 environmental questions were fielded. The Maternal-Child Health (MCH) statistics showed one car seat was distributed, there was one CPR Course, one consultation for Childcare Health, two Presumptive Eligibility (Temporary Medicaid) and 324 WIC appointments. The Community-Specific Services Summary showed 519 total appointments other than WIC, 153 Nurse Practitioner appointments, 91 treatment court visits, 208 lab appointments and 79 immunization appointments. Nurse Practitioner Service Details showed one Show-Me Health Women appointment, 4 family plannings, 7 well-child visits, 11 online appointments, 4 other physicals, 21 SEMO physicals, 14 other visits, and 90 acute illness appointments. Laboratory details showed 183 individual patients, 24 appointments for Rapid Test for COVID, Flu, RSV or Strep, one pregnancy test and 8 lead tests. Immunizations for January totaled 40 for COVID-19, 12 for Influenza, and 76 other vaccines, including the new RSV vaccine and new formulations of pneumonia vaccine. In the Administrator’s report, Moser reported that DHSS is months behind on paying WIC, noting that the October invoice was just paid February 13th. He said that an Extension of Adult Immunization grant through DHSS and a NACCHO grant were applied for, but has received notification that the DCHC was not chosen for the NACCHO grant. Moser said that the DCHC is participating in a Public Health Gap Analysis with the University of Missouri and DHSS, and that it is based on the Foundational Public Health Services model. He reported on the progress on the actions cited in the strategic plan. People Centric recommended a shortened version of the Vision Statement, but the Board felt the original version more nearly reflected the Health Care vision of the DCHC. The Health Center financial reports for January, including the overall results from H & R Block, were reviewed. Discussion was held on the balance sheet, income statement and budget statements. After these questions were answered, the financial reports and the report from H & R Block were approved. In new business, a finalized strategic plan document was presented to the Board and adopted, and the health plan the employees chose was presented and it is in line with what was budgeted. Moser recommended a $150 per month health insurance stipend to all employees and it was approved. No closed session was held. The next regular meeting of the Board was set for Thursday, March 21st at 5:00.

Beginning this Saturday, all residents in the 573 area code will have to dial the area code as well as your local seven digit number to complete a call. This is because a new area code of 235 is being added in our area as an “overlay” of the existing 573 area code and not replacing it. The overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code, but it will require them to dial the area code to complete local calls. After Friday, February 23rd, all local calls made within the 573 area code must be placed using 10 digits (area code + the 7-digit telephone number). Calls placed using just seven digits will not be completed. If you have safety and security equipment such as medical alert devices, alarms or security systems, they must now all be programmed for ten digits. Contact your medical alert or security provider if your not sure how to reprogram your system. Also fax machines, call forwarding, voicemails services, mobile phone contact lists or other memorized lists will need to be updated to use the area code as well as the seven digit number. Starting on March 24th, new telephone services may be assigned numbers using the new 235 area code as well as the old 573 area code.

The Dent County Sheriff’s office has released several reports. On Sunday February 11th, deputies responded to the 2000 block of Dent County Road 4110 for a reported burglary. A 68-year-old Salem man told deputies that an unknown person or persons had tampered with items in and around his barn, and stolen the keys to his tractor. Information was taken for the report. That same day a deputy responded to the 1000 block of Dent County Road 6370 for the report of a stolen chainsaw. The victim, a 54-year-old Salem man, told officers that a known subject had removed a chainsaw from a shed on his property without permission. The chainsaw was recovered and the investigation is ongoing. The next day, Monday, February 12th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on West Franklin Street. The driver of the vehicle, a 35-year-old Salem man, was arrested on an active warrant and for driving while his license was suspended and revoked. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. The next day deputies conducted a traffic stop on Highway 68. During the course of that stop, the driver, a 37-year-old Salem woman, was found to be in possession of a controlled substance. She was taken into custody and charges will be filed. Finally, on Thursday, February 15th, deputies responded to Tater’s Sporting Goods on Highway 19 after observing a wanted subject at the location. A 24-year-old Salem man was then taken into custody and transported to the Dent County Jail where he was incarcerated on the warrant. Additional charges are pending against the suspect. Please call the Dent County Sheriffs Department at 729-3241 if you have any information regarding an investigation.

The Salem Planning and Zoning Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing tonight at 5:30 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory followed by a public meeting to discuss the request for plat approval at 402 S. Pershing on property owned by Betty Allen and Robert Stroburg. The hearing and meeting are both open to the public. The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be holding a special closed session meeting tonight at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center @The Armory. That meeting is not open to the public.