Local News – Thursday, June 6th, 2024
The Healthy Dent County Prevention Coalition presents a Communities Talk Event as a panel of students will discuss substance abuse affecting teens in the community in a Town Hall meeting to be held at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road on Tuesday, June 11th from 12:00 noon until 1:00. The town hall meeting allows all in attendance to join in the discussion about local substance use prevention programs. Registration is required and lunch will be provided. The program is sponsored by the Prevention Consultants of Missouri, Healthy Dent County Prevention Coalition and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. To register, please call 573-729-8163.
During it’s May meeting, the Meramec Regional Planning Commission Board approved officers for Fiscal year 2024-2025. The Chairman is Mary Heywood, Vice-Chairman is Darryl Griffith, the Secretary is Joey Auxier and the Treasurer is Sean Wilson. They will all continue to serve in their current roles for an additional term. Other additional at-large appointments approved for another term included Crawford County’s “For Profit” Representative Erik Lowes, Gasconade County’s “For Profit” Representative Duane Kraettli, Dent County’s “For Profit” Representative John Smith, Industry Representative Jan Haviland and Transportation Representative John Casey. Bob Parsons, at-large for farming/ag-business, retired after serving nine years on the board. The Board also heard an update from MRPC Planning Manager Anne Freand on the Forward 44 project, which is the interstate improvements along 44 from the Franklin/St. Louis County line to the Oklahoma state line. She requested any specific traffic data and information on future developments such as large manufacturing facilities, large retail or housing developments along the Interstate 44 corridor in the region. They heard proposed changes to the MRPC bylaws that would change the title of the minorities at-large position to underrepresented at-large position. The proposed by-law changes will be voted on at the June 13th meeting.
The much-anticipated Friends of the Salem Public Library summer book fair is scheduled for 9:00 to 4:00 this Friday and 9:00 to 12:00 this Saturday. The sale will be held in the library’s north basement meeting room. Hardback books and even some new releases can be found for as low as $1.00 with paperback books priced as low as a quarter. Parking will be available in the lot located at the northwest corner of 5th and Jackson.
The Salem Creative Arts Center will be holding a two-day Clay Flower Workshop on Tuesday, June 11th and Monday, June 17th where participants will create a bouquet of three-dimensional flowers. The class will be taught by Wanda Nickles and Tana Kettner. The first class will work with slab building techniques and appling textures to create the flowers. The second class participants will apply glazes to the bisqued flowers. Finished pieces will have to be picked up later after the glaze firing. The cost of the class is $30 and includes all the supplies. At least four people need to sign up for the class and it will be limited to no more than 16. To register, go the SACBA website and find the Programs tab. Find the Creative Arts Center and click to register for the class. Registrations online are on a first come, first serve basis.
Take part in the upcoming Alley Spring glade hike on Saturday, June 8th starting at 10:00 in the morning at Alley Mill. Join rangers for a 1.3-mile hike through the glade management area around Alley Spring. This area has benefitted from prescribed fire management and should be bursting with colorful summer wildflowers, butterflies, and glade species. The park’s fire ecologist will discuss fire management practices, Ozark glade habitats, glade restoration, and glade inhabitants. Staff will identify wildflowers and other interesting features along the way. The hike is free to the public and no reservations are required. The hike will follow the Alley Overlook Trail, which departs behind Alley Mill and climbs to the overlook on the bluff above the spring. Hikers should wear sturdy footwear, bring water, and consider using insect repellent and sunscreen. The event is subject to cancelation based on weather conditions. Alley Spring is located five miles west of Eminence on Highway 106. For more information, contact Alley Spring at (573) 226-3945, visit the park’s Facebook page, or website at www.nps.gov/ozar.